The Interim Industry Transit Advice for Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has been updated to reflect the changes to the Houthi threat and the contact information of the naval forces currently operating to protect shipping in the area, BIMCO highlights.
As explained, the updated advice elaborates further on the threat posed by the Houthis. This threat includes vessels linked to Israel, the US, and the UK, including those that may have docked at Israeli ports in the past. The methods of attack include masquerading as Yemeni officials, using anti-ship cruise and ballistic missiles, water-borne improvised explosive devices, drones, and mines, Jakob Paaske Larsen, Head of Maritime Safety & Security explains.
The advice also highlights that the use of armed guards should be thoroughly assessed, and that two naval formations, EU Naval Forces’ Operation Aspides and Combined Maritime Forces’ Operation Prosperity Guardian, are conducting operations to protect merchant shipping in the area.
As informed, the Houthis have broadened their threats beyond vessels they believe have links with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom to include the whole fleet of those companies some of whose ship(s) may have previously called at Israeli ports one or two years ago. The information used by the Houthi forces is of uncertain accuracy, and collateral damage from erroneous attacks has occurred.
An area of high maritime threat has been established by the coalition navies. The northern boundary of this area is parallel 17⁰30’ N in the Red Sea, and the boundary to the southeast is in the Northwest Indian Ocean at parallel 10⁰00’ N and longitude 056⁰00’ E.
Threats to ships include:
- Houthi forces masquerading as Yemeni Coastguard or Navy officials and attempting to coerce merchant ships to sail to Yemeni ports.
- Anti-ship cruise missiles. These missiles have sophisticated terminal guidance typically by means of radar and/or electro-optics.
- Anti-ship ballistic missiles. These missiles are typically aimed at a geographical coordinate or have only basic, unreliable terminal guidance.
- Water-borne improvised explosive devices (WBIED) also known as Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV). Typically, skiffs occasionally mounted with dummies, fitted with an impact fuse and laden with explosives.
- Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, or drones) are occasionally used.
- Crewed skiffs using RPGs and small arms.
- Uncrewed undersea vehicles have been reported, but no vessel has been attacked using these.
- Mines are near entrances to Houthi-controlled ports, and on rare occasions, mines have become detached from their tether and have drifted into the traffic lanes.
- Houthi hijack/kidnap teams in skiffs.
- Houthi hijack/kidnap teams in helicopters. Although the possibility of an airborne attack from helicopters during darkness exists, it is more significant during daylight hours.
