The incident occurred about 95 nautical miles (176 kilometers) southeast of Aden, UKMTO said.
All crew members aboard the vessel have been accounted for and are safe.
UKMTO did not immediately provide further details about the cause of the explosion or identify who may have been responsible.
The incident comes amid continued security concerns around commercial shipping in waters near Yemen, where vessels have faced attacks and other maritime threats in recent years.
MNA