Condemning attack on Norwegian ship in the Red Sea

'Norway strongly condemns all attacks against civilian shipping, most recently the attack in the Red Sea last night on the Norwegian-registered ship MT Strinda, owned by J. Ludwig Mowinckel's shipping company,' says State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson.

'Indiscriminate attacks like this are totally unacceptable. The attacks pose a mortal danger to the crew and cause great financial and material losses to innocent parties,' says Petersson.

'The waters around the Arabian Peninsula, including the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, are vital transportation routes for the entire global economy. It is crucial that the maritime trade routes are safe and secure. Norway is a strong advocate for maintaining international order on the seas.'

'Norway cooperates closely with allies both politically and militarily to ensure free and safe passage at sea. Norwegian authorities are also in close contact with the Norwegian Shipowners' Association in the further handling of the matter.'

'The potential consequences of a regional escalation are dramatic. Norway is in close contact with relevant partners both in and outside the region. We have urged all regional actors to contribute to de-escalation to avoid further negative development in the region,' says Petersson.