Ambrey expands advisory for Israel-linked vessels amid Red Sea attacks

Ambrey warned that there has been other potentially mistaken targeting in similar incidents involving Iran, including the Unity Explorer. While owned and operated in the U.K., the Israel connection is among its management. Unity Maritime is controlled by Danny Ungar, the son of Israeli shipping businessman Abraham “Rami” Ungar. In November, the Houthis hijacked the 5,100-unit car carrier Galaxy Leader, part of Ungar’s shipping company, Ray Car Carriers.

“Sunday’s events indicated that used information may be out of date by as many as two years,” said Daniel Mueller, Ambrey’s lead analyst for the Middle Eastern region. “This is why we are advising vessel reviews to be expanded by three years.”

Ambrey recently calculated that more than 600 vessels worldwide may be affiliated with Israel. By expanding the vessel search by three years, Mueller said the number of vessels potentially at risk of being targets could increase up to 50%.

In its advisory, Ambrey urged owner-operators of any vessel found to be connected to Israel within the three-year window to assess the vessel’s route and its route predictability, as well as the vessel’s proximity to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian Navy assets and Houthi-controlled sites. It is also advised to identify the vessel’s planned ETA to those sites and the position relative to other potential targets. Considering the electronic signals policy, including information and minimization days before entry to the Red Sea, the Bab el Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden, is also recommended.

Judah Levine, Freightos’ head of research, said there have not been reports of a significant downturn in Suez traffic yet.

“Israel’s Zim Lines did announce last week that its ZMP service, which employs 12 vessels in the service, will now be going around the Cape of Good Hope instead of transiting the Suez,” he said.

Mueller added that before the conflict, approximately 20 vessels connected to Israel were traversing the Suez Canal from both sides each week. Now Ambrey is tracking around 13 a week.