CNSS has learned that the CMA CGM containership CMA CGM San Antonio, struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz in early May this year, sustained severe damage to its hull with multiple crew members injured and evacuated.

The vessel, a Malta-flagged containership built in 2005 by South Korea's Hyundai Mipo Dockyard with an overall length of 222 metres and a capacity of 2,824 TEU, was departing from Jebel Ali in the UAE when the attack occurred. Eight Filipino crew members were wounded in the incident and were evacuated to receive necessary medical treatment.

CMA CGM Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé revealed at a business conference in southern France last Friday that due to the extent of the damage, the group is considering sending the vessel directly for demolition. He stated that the CMA CGM San Antonio had been escorted to safety after being stranded in the Strait of Hormuz for several weeks, but did not disclose further details of the escort. The vessel is among the merchant ships attacked since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict and is the second CMA CGM containership to be struck in these waters—the Everglades was similarly hit in the Strait of Hormuz on April 17.

In light of the current situation in the Gulf, Mr. Saadé made clear that the CMA CGM Group has no plans to redeploy vessels to the region for the time being.

As the world's third-largest container shipping line, CMA CGM had 14 vessels inside the Gulf at the onset of the US-Iran conflict. Mr. Saadé stated that several of these have since departed the area, with a further four set to be withdrawn shortly. However, in an interview with French media earlier this week, he also mentioned that some vessels still in the Gulf are planned to carry out local operational tasks.