PARIS, July 3 – A CMA CGM container ship that was hit by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz in early May has sustained significant damage, leading the French shipping group to consider sending it for scrapping, the company's CEO announced on Friday.
The incident involving the CMA CGM San Antonio resulted in injuries to several crew members, who were subsequently evacuated. This attack is part of a series of incidents affecting many commercial vessels during the ongoing conflict in the region.
CMA CGM's Chairman and CEO, Rodolphe Saade, mentioned during a business conference in southern France, “It was so damaged that we’re wondering whether we should send it for scrapping.”
After spending several weeks stranded in the strait, the San Antonio has been escorted to safety, although details about the operation were not disclosed.
For now, the company does not plan to resume sending ships to the Gulf, as the Iranian side has reportedly advised against it, according to Saade.
Saade, who leads CMA CGM with other family members, reiterated his stance against transit fees for using the Strait of Hormuz, which remains a contentious topic in U.S.-Iranian peace discussions.
CMA CGM, the third-largest container shipping line globally, had 14 ships in the Gulf when the conflict began, effectively shutting down the waterway. Several of these ships have since left the area, and Saade expressed a desire for an additional four vessels to exit.
In a recent interview with the French press, the CEO indicated that some of the remaining vessels are intended for operations within the Gulf.