DANISH shipping giant Maersk is to pause all shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until further notice after one of its vessels came under attack from militants over the weekend, the company announced.

The decision by Maersk extends a 48-hour pause implemented on Sunday in the immediate aftermath of the attack. "We have made the decision to pause all transits through the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden until further notice," the company said in an update to customers, reports CNBC.

The container ship Maersk Hangzhou came under attack over the weekend by four small boats crewed by Houthi militants, who are based in Yemen and backed by Iran.

US Navy helicopters responded to a distress call from the Maersk Hangzhou and fired on the militants after coming under attack, sinking three boats and killing the crews, according to the US Central Command.

"An investigation into the incident is ongoing and we will continue to pause all cargo movement through the area while we further assess the constantly evolving situation," Maersk said in its update.

Vessels will be rerouted and continue their journey around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa in cases where this makes sense, the company said.

Houthi militants have repeatedly attacked vessels in the Red Sea in recent weeks in response to the war in Gaza. The attacks have raised concern about disruptions to global trade through the crucial waterway with some 12 per cent of global trade going through the Red Sea per day.