Maersk is getting ready to resume transits through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden now that the multi-nation naval coalition Operation Prosperity Guardian is up and running. However, timing of the resumption is still highly uncertain.
Maersk suspended transits through the Red Sea back on December 15 a day after a near-miss missile attack on the Maersk Gibraltar near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and other threats to shipping from the Yemen-based Houthis. The announcement by Maersk led to other operators also suspending voyages and redirecting ships around the Cape of Good Hope.
In a statement on Sunday, Maersk said it had received confirmation that the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) has been set up and deployed to allow maritime commerce to once again pass through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
“With the OPG initiative in operation, we are preparing to allow for vessels to resume transit through the Red Sea both eastbound and westbound. We are currently working on plans for the first vessels to make the transit and for this to happen as soon as operationally possible. While doing so, ensuring the safety of our employees is of the utmost importance and our number one priority in handling the challenging situation in the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden area,” Maersk said.
“Our teams are still assessing the immediate effects of the resolution, and we kindly request your patience while we understand the impact it will have in terms of diverted vessels, surcharges, booking acceptance and further contingency measures,” the statement added.
Operation Prosperity Guardian was announced by the U.S. on December 18, but the coalition got off to a rocky start due to a lack of support among some key allies. Meanwhile, Houthi attacks on merchant shipping have continued over the weekend.
The Pentagon has described Operation Prosperity Guardian as a type of “highway patrol” that will “respond to and assist as necessary” commercial ships in the region. “It’s a defensive coalition meant to reassure global shipping and mariners that the international community is there to help with safe passage,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a Pentagon news conference last week.
The timing and extent of Maersk’s resumption of sailings through the region remains highly uncertain.
Maersk said Sunday that while security measures have been put in place to enable the transit of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, it acknowledges that the overall risk in the area has not been eliminated entirely and the company stands ready to re-evaluate the situation and initiate diversion plans if necessary to ensure the safety of its seafarers.
“We will communicate the latest details of this new setup with you as soon as we have more information, which we expect to be in the coming days,” Maersk said.
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