According to Reuters, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in Bahrain in the early morning hours of December 19 local time that in response to Yemen’s Houthi forces launching drones and missiles to attack ships sailing through the Red Sea, the U.S. is collaborating with the relevant countries to launch Operation Red Sea Escort, which will carry out joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
According to Austin, “This is an international challenge, which is why today I am announcing the launch of Operation Prosperity Guard, a new and important multinational security operation.”
He emphasized that the Red Sea is a vital waterway and a major commercial route for facilitating international trade and that freedom of navigation is of paramount importance.
It is understood that the countries that have agreed to join the said operation include the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain. The U.S. is still actively seeking more countries to join and increase the number of navies involved in this operation.
A source revealed that under the framework of the new escort operation, warships will not necessarily escort specific ships, but will provide protection to as many ships as possible at a given time.
In addition, the U.S. has asked the U.N. Security Council to take action on the frequent attacks on ships in the Red Sea. According to Austin, “This is an international issue that deserves a response from the international community.”
At present, a number of liner companies have made it clear that their ships will bypass the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea area. As for whether the escort can play a role in guaranteeing the safety of ship navigation, Maersk has taken a position on this.
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said in an interview with the U.S. media, the U.S. Secretary of Defense’s statement “reassuring”, he welcomed the action. At the same time, he believes that the U.S.-led naval operations, the earliest it may take several weeks to make the Red Sea route to reopen.
Earlier, Maersk had announced that ships would be detoured around the Cape of Good Hope to ensure the safety of crews, ships and cargo.
Ko explained, “We were victims of the attack and fortunately no crew members were injured. For us, the suspension of navigation in the Red Sea area is essential to ensure the safety of our crew.”
He further stated that detouring to the Cape of Good Hope may result in a two to four week delay in transportation, but for customers and their supply chain, the detour is the faster and more predictable way to go at this time.
Post time: Jan-12-2024