More Ships U-Turn to Avoid Houthi Threats
Further to vessels suspected of having reversed course on July 21 to avoid potential Houthi hostile action, more ships have been identified doing so on July 22.
Vanguard has identified six ships that may have U-turned overnight on July 21/22, who may be exercising discretion and switching to alternative orders, perhaps without commercial penalty:
- The Marshall Islands-flagged car carrier Liu Jiang Kou (IMO 9991795), now sailing East on the Maritime Transit Security Corridor (MTSC) exiting the Gulf of Aden.
- Russian-flagged products tanker Trust (IMO 9382798), sanctioned by the EU, UK and US (OFAC), and now at anchor off Jeddah.
- Singapore-flagged products tanker Navig8 Express (IMO 9976874), which appears to have reversed course and is now heading back to Yanbu.
- Liberia-flagged tanker Mica (IMO 9399935), which was on its way from Port Suez to Sohar, but now appears to have stopped off Jizan.
- Maltese-flagged Suezmax Agios Gerasimos (IMO 9693056), now heading for the head of the Sumed Pipeline at Ain Sukhna.
- Liberia-flagged Suezmax Amazon (IMO 9476654), is now heading North for the Suez Canal.
Traffic proceeding along the MTSC looks similar to yesterday, and there are still, as of midday on July 22, some 22 ships still underway, with AIS turned on, in the waters off the Houthi-held coastline in the Red Sea.
The Houthi Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) website has still not posted any warnings to mariners in connection with the blockade announced by the Houthi military spokesman, Brigadier Yahya Sare’e.
Heavy traffic on the Maritime Security Transit Corridor, July 21 (VesselFinder)
Heavy traffic on the Maritime Security Transit Corridor, July 22 (VesselFinder)
The British and U.S. governments have issued stern notes of disapproval concerning the Houthi intention to implement a blockade. While the UK has so far not taken any apparent concrete action, the United States has undertaken to respond if the Houthis physically interfere with shipping. The website of Operation Aspides, the EU operation established in February 2024 as a defensive operation in response to repeated Houthi attacks on international shipping, has so far not registered. Aspides recently marked 29 months since its launch, highlighting that it has supported more than 2,200 merchant vessels. It frequently posts photos of the warships assigned to the operation sailing with merchant ships passing through the Red Sea region.
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The new Greek commander of Operation Aspides, Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis spent July 16 hosting the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas on board the Italian Carlo Bergamini Class frigate Bergamini (F590) off Djibouti, and the latest posting on the Aspides website focuses on the celebration of Belgian National Day on July 21. However, Reuters reports that it has seen an EUNAVFOR Aspides advisory recommending that merchant vessels linked to Israeli, U.S. or Saudi interests avoid transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until the threat level decreases. There is no indication that the EU is yet thinking of adjusting the force committed to Operation Aspides.
