Drone Strike Damages Ship-to-Shore Crane at APM Terminals Salalah, Operations Suspended

A drone strike hit the container terminal at the Port of Salalah, Oman, in the early morning of March 28, damaging a ship-to-shore crane and forcing the suspension of terminal operations. The incident was confirmed by Maersk, which operates the facility through its APM Terminals subsidiary.

The strike caused the crane's boom to collapse into the water. Published photographs show smoke rising from the terminal and significant structural damage to the quay crane. The port was immediately evacuated following the incident. No vessels, cargo, or personnel were reported harmed.

"Following the incident in which a terminal crane sustained damage, the port was immediately evacuated and operations across the facility were temporarily suspended," Maersk said in a statement. The company estimated operations would remain suspended for approximately 48 hours and confirmed all crew were safe and accounted for.

The Port of Salalah Container Terminal serves as a regional hub for the Gemini Cooperation, the alliance between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd. Any prolonged disruption would carry implications for alliance scheduling across the region.

The strike is not the first on the Salalah facility during the current conflict. Oil storage tanks at the port have been hit on previous occasions.

Authorities are investigating. No group has claimed responsibility.