Attacks in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden raise worries for sailors

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has expressed serious concerns over attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and has called for these attacks to stop immediately. The ICS is worried about the safety of commercial ships and seafarers after multiple reports of seizures, attacks, and route diversions. The ICS specifically mentioned the recent hijacking of the car carrier Galaxy Leader by Yemen’s Houthis and an attempted seizure of the tanker Central Park by Somali pirates. The crew of the Central Park is now safe, but the crew of the Galaxy Leader is still being held in Yemen.

The ICS emphasized that these attacks are a flagrant breach of international law and maritime norms and stated that vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are conducting their right of freedom of navigation and innocent passage. The shipping industry has issued routing guidance for ships in the region and shipping companies are re-routing vessels in response to the threats. For example, Maersk announced the diversion of two of its ships, Lisa and Maersk Pangani, which will result in delivery delays. Israeli line Zim has also announced it would re-route vessels as a safety measure. The ICS called on states with influence in the region to use everything within their power to maintain freedom of navigation and dissuade the antagonists from persisting in aggressive and illegal action.

The ICS firmly believes that the well-developed maritime security architecture in the region should continue to be maximized to ensure that no other ships and their crew fall victim to such aggression.

Source .