The European Union have set up a new naval mission this week, aimed at protecting commercial shipping in the Red Sea region from Houthi attacks.
The ‘Eunavfor Aspides’ mission has a mandate to provide situational awareness, accompany vessels and protect them against missile and drone attacks in the region.
The operation will be active in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea itself, which have been the main areas of the Houthi rebel attacks on cargo ships.
An air defence frigate has already been sent by the Germans, which will be part of the new mission, while both France and Italy are due to commit naval vessels too.
A French navy vessel escorted the CMA CGM Ultra Large Container Vessel (ULCV) ‘Jules Verne’ through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait this week, which reported no incidents.
The French carrier had previously stated that its vessels were all going to be routed around the Cape Of Good Hope, so the decision to route a vessel through the hostile zone was a surprise to many in the industry.
Whether this new found confidence will result in CMA CGM operating further sailings through the Red Sea is yet unknown.
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