The firm’s director of security and contingency provided one of the first complete insights into the chaos, horror and trauma that faced crew on vessels attacked by Houthis in the Red Sea.

He not only urged immediate and specialised counselling for affected seafarers, but outlined investigations showing some missiles to be of China-origin, modified by Iran and supplied to the Houthis.

Speaking at a Nordic Marine Insurance Day event in Stockholm last week, Furulund revealed photos of walls in the accommodation deck of one tanker cut like ribbons just metres from where crew were sleeping.

Another showed where a piece of metal the size of a coin had burned a hole through the sleeping master’s pillow, missing his head by 10 cm.

Since November, there have been about 270 reported incidents in the Red Sea, with a combination of missed attacks, observations of passing aerial drones, but also reports of direct attacks of kinetic, or lethal weapons, according to Furuland. 

Twenty-one ships have been hit.

Granular details have been scant, leaving many in the industry ignorant of the terror faced by seafarers on ships targeted or struck by Houthi drones or missiles.

To illustrate the point, DNK recounted two attacks on a tanker that was first struck by an anti-ship cruise missile in December. Lloyd’s List has not identified the tanker at the request of DNK.

A young third officer was on watch on the bridge at the time.

The missile exploded over the cargo hold area, set the oil cargo on fire, as well as spraying the shrapnel through five cabins within the heavy steel superstructure.

The oil fire “was taken care of by the crew” said Furulund, adding that decisions taken during and after the attack by the master undoubtedly saved lives.

The ship then sailed to Djibouti where DNK deployed officials to board and evaluate damage on all levels.

Furulund said there was an immediate evaluation of the mental status of the crew “who are not trained to be on the receiving end of such an attack. Not at all.”

“We can start the first line of psychological first aid, and we deploy a medical team to the ship, not only doctors but also people that are professionals to deal with trauma,” he said.

“These mental issues can usually be solved easily if and only if they are taken care of right away.

“If these sailors are allowed to go back home, meeting their families who don't really understand these traumas, it may develop into severe mental illness over time.”

The missile that hit the tanker was produced in China, exported to Iran, where it was modified and then handed over to the Houthis, investigators concluded.

The warhead’s high explosives weighed 165 kg, equivalent to a larger motorcycle, Furulund said.

Not only was it able to travel as fast as the speed of sound, but it was constructed to penetrate the hull before exploding “to cause as much death as possible”.

While sailing to Djibouti after the first attack, the tanker was again challenged by the Houthis in a radio message erroneously claiming they were from the Yemeni navy and ordering them to a Houthi-controlled port.

“The master ignored that clear threat,” Furulund said, but then “saw something coming in from behind”.

“It was likely a drone and was about to hit the vessel but for some reason exploded.”

Radar images also showed unidentified vessels swarming the tanker, which were highly likely the Houthis.

Warheads on Iranian-produced drones were smaller than cruise missiles but easier to guide and find a target.

“These are deliberate attacks designed to kill as many seafarers as possible,” said Furulund.

Red Sea attacks would continue as long as the war between Israel and Hamas on the Gaza strip continued, he concluded.

Military operations needed to take an offensive stance and take out the rest of the missiles before they were launched.

“In the next month, we predict it is highly likely we’ll see further deliberate attacks in the Red Sea towards vessels with a perceived affiliation with Israel, the US and the UK,” he said of DNK forecasts.

“Iran or its proxy forces directed by Iran, supported by Iran, and supplied by Iran will continue to consider merchant vessels as legitimate targets, that can be attacked to reach their political goals.”