CMA CGM ship struck by missile in Strait of Hormuz maybe sent for scrapping , CEO says

A CMA CGM container ship struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz in early May is so badly damaged that the French shipping group may send it for scrapping, its chief executive has said.

A CMA CGM container ship struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz in early May is so badly damaged that the French shipping group may send it for scrapping, its chief executive has said. The attack on the CMA CGM San Antonio injured several members of the crew, who were evacuated, according to Reuters.

“It was so damaged that we’re wondering whether we should send it for scrapping,” CMA CGM’s Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saade told a business conference in southern France. After being stranded in the strait for weeks, the San Antonio has been escorted to safety, he added, without giving further details.

The missile strike on the San Antonio was one of several attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz during the height of hostilities between the US and Iran. The strait, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, was effectively blockaded during the conflict, and multiple vessels were targeted by Iranian forces. The US and its allies have since worked to restore freedom of navigation, but the damage to the San Antonio underscores the lasting impact of the conflict on the shipping industry.

The decision to scrap the vessel reflects the severity of the damage sustained in the attack, and the financial and operational challenges facing shipping companies operating in the region. The CMA CGM San Antonio is one of the largest container ships in the world, and its loss would represent a significant blow to the French shipping group.

The attack on the San Antonio came as part of a broader pattern of Iranian aggression against commercial shipping, which prompted the US and its allies to deploy naval forces to the region to protect maritime traffic. The situation has since de-escalated following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, but the legacy of the conflict continues to affect shipping operations and insurance costs in the region. As the San Antonio’s fate is decided, the incident serves as a reminder of the risks facing commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Middle East.