Greek Shipping Advised to Avoid Red Sea Following Attacks

Commercial vessels currently voyaging the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have been advised by Greece to avoid Yemeni waters. Following a series of attacks in the area, commercial ships should follow alerts issued by maritime authorities and only keep the necessary crew on the bridge.

Greek ship-owners make up approximately 20% of the global commercial vessels in terms of their overall carrying capacity.

On Saturday, a shipping ministry advisory was issued due to the recent attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi militant group on vessels. This has forced leading shipping companies to avoid the Suez Canal, the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia, instead rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope

According to maritime sources, vessels are also expected to conduct fire drills for regular safety equipment checks before reaching the Yemeni shores. At night, they should sail through the southern Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb strait. 

The Houthi militia group, which currently controls a significant portion of Yemen, claim that the attacks are in response to Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip, stating that they will continue until Israel stops their campaign. 

The Houthi attacks have begun to take their toll on global trade, prompting the U.S. to launch a multinational operation, namely Operation Prosperity Guardian, in an attempt to safeguard commerce across the Red Sea. 

Citing Greek Shipping Minister, Christos Stylianides, Greece is currently in talks with the European Union and U.S. officials, standing ready to participate in international operations for maritime security.