Houthis Attempting to Intimidate and Threaten German Shipowners
As part of its campaign to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea that it associates with Israel, the Houthis have been actively threatening shipowners the Association of German Shipowners (VDR) revealed today. The militants' use of a spokesperson and social media is well known, but the association says the group is also using emails to threaten shipping companies.
"The Houthi rebels obviously have well-researched email addresses, as the threats were also sent to individual contacts,” said Irina Haesler, member of the VDR management board and responsible for maritime security policy. “These are targeted attempts at intimidation.”
According to the VDR, which told AFP (Agence France-Presse) the German Navy has confirmed the authenticity of the threatening messages, the emails have been sent in “recent months.”
The threats themselves are nothing new, as the VDR reports they are directed against ships calling at Israeli ports, as well as against those passing through the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. The association says, “Regardless of their location, ships with supposed links to Israel are considered potential targets.”
The VDR notes that German shipowners continue to divert their vessels around Africa. They highlighted the detour takes almost two weeks and causes higher costs. Haesler said the threatening emails underline the risks ships are facing and the necessity to divert.
“We take these threats very seriously and are in constant contact with our members and the security authorities,” said Haesler.
As the calendar ticks past a year since the Houthis began their attacks with the boarding of the car carrier Galaxy Leader, the group asserts it has targeted more than 200 vessels. Recently, they vowed to continue targeting ships and companies associated with Israel saying they would not consider changes of flag or registered owner when selecting targets. They said all ships trading with Israel need to be “punished.”
After launching an attack against two U.S. destroyers a week ago, and claiming to have targeted the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, the Houthis appear to have fired on a Turkish-managed bulker on Sunday and again today. The master of the unnamed vessel reported to UK Maritime Trade Operations that it had twice seen missiles “splashed in close proximity.”
The first of the incidents was reported on November 17 while the vessel was southbound in the Red Sea. It was 25 nautical miles west of Mukha at the northern reaches of the Bab al-Mandeb when the first missile was seen. The second attack was on November 18 while the same bulker was 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden. Neither attack hit the ship and UKMTO reports the crew is safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.
The EU operation Aspides highlights that it continues to provide protection for vessels transiting the waters and recently CMA CGM considered sending additional vessels through the Red Sea based on the decline in frequency of the attacks. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd however said they expect their new Gemini Cooperation will continue to reroute vessels well into 2025.