MSC Container Ship Hit by Two Projectiles at Iraq’s Umm Qasr Port, Raising Maritime Security Concerns
Global container shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has confirmed that its container vessel MSC Sariska V was struck by two projectiles while departing Iraq’s strategic Port of Umm Qasr on 1 June, highlighting ongoing maritime security risks in the Persian Gulf region.
According to MSC, the first projectile impacted the vessel while a harbor pilot was still on board during its departure from the Iraqi port. A second projectile struck the ship’s crew accommodation shortly afterward.
In a statement issued on 2 June, MSC confirmed that all crew members remained safe and unharmed throughout the incident.
“All crew members are safe, unharmed and acted with exceptional professionalism throughout the incident to secure the vessel and its cargo,” the company stated.
MSC added that local media reports indicated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as retaliation for U.S. actions involving the vessel Lian Star.
The shipping company rejected any connection to the allegations, emphasizing its status as a neutral commercial carrier.
“This retaliatory action is completely unjustified based on the allegations made by the IRGC, as MSC is a neutral commercial carrier with no affiliation to the US or Israel,” the company said.
MSC noted that the company was founded by Italian national Gianluigi Aponte, is headquartered and domiciled in Switzerland, and is wholly owned by his children, Diego Aponte and Alexa Aponte, both Italian nationals.
The company expressed deep concern over the attack and the broader implications for maritime operations in the region.
“MSC is deeply concerned by these unprovoked attacks and the risk they create for its innocent seafarers and essential maritime trade in the region,” the statement added.
The MSC Sariska V is a 3,900-TEU container ship built in 1990 and sailing under the Panama flag. The vessel is both owned and operated by MSC.
The incident is expected to intensify concerns across the global shipping industry regarding vessel security, crew safety, supply chain resilience, and the protection of commercial shipping routes in the Persian Gulf and wider Middle East maritime corridor.
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