Maritime Unions Urge TRANSCOM for Enhanced Communication in Red Sea

Nine American maritime labor organizations, encompassing unions and trade associations, penned a letter to Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, Commander of the U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), this week voicing their concerns about the ongoing attacks on U.S. ships in the Red Sea.

In the communication, the groups expressed gratitude towards federal leadership for their efforts to date to safeguard U.S.-flag ships and offered their endorsement for U.S. military strikes in Yemen. “It is critical that the Houthi rebels understand the consequences of attacking U.S-flag shipping and that the United States will continue to protect its sovereignty when that sovereignty is threatened by illegal attacks.”

The organizations point out that while the Houthi rebel missile strikes represent the most severe attacks on the U.S. Merchant Marine in over 50 years, the collaborative efforts of vessel operators, mariners, and naval personnel have so far prevented any casualties to U.S. ships.

The letter also called for enhanced communication support to ensure the safety of U.S.-flag vessels and their crews in the area. The organizations emphasized the importance of secure communication links between Red Sea-transiting vessels and naval vessels deployed in the area to counter Houthi attacks.

The letter states: “While we understand that procedures are being developed and so far, the joint efforts of our vessel operators, mariners and naval personnel have resulted in no casualties to U.S.-flag ships, we cannot rest on past success. Continued communication, especially at the tactical level, is crucial. Whether this is in the form of specialized equipment, U.S. naval officers from the NCAGS Shipping Control Teams, U.S. civilian mariners with the proper security clearance and COMSEC certification, or other naval liaisons being embedded on the vessels, having access to secure communications between our ships, CENTCOM, the combatants in the area and access to timely intelligence will ensure the level of cooperation and coordination necessary to keep these ships safe and secure as they continue to bring commercial, military, and foreign aid cargoes into the region.”

Signatories to the letter include the presidents of the American Radio Association, Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Sailors’ Union of the Pacific, American Maritime Officers, Seafarers International Union, Masters, Mates & Pilots, Marine Firemen’s Union, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, and Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association.

You can read the full letter here.

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