The EU is preparing to participate in the US initiative to ensure the safety of merchant shipping in the Red Sea. According to information from DPA, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell presented a concrete proposal on how the mandate of the existing anti-piracy operation “Atalanta” could be expanded. It is currently being examined by the 27 EU Member States and should be formalized as soon as possible.
According to diplomats, at an EU meeting on Thursday, only Spain had reservations about the change in mandate. It is hoped in Brussels that this is due to internal political differences in Madrid that can be resolved quickly.
Operation “Prosperity Guardian”, launched by the US, aims to significantly increase the international military presence in the Red Sea. The background is that Iran-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked ships in the country to prevent them from passing to Israel. The Houthis' aim is to force an end to Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Protests in Yemen
In Yemen, thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the US-led military coalition. The Houthi-controlled Saba news agency has published numerous stories about demonstrations in major cities in northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.
A military spokesman released photos of large gatherings of people in Sanaa. At the same time, a statement released by the Houthis warned countries against joining the US coalition. We will respond to every enemy action.
Hapag-Lloyd announces surcharges for the Middle East
Meanwhile, Germany's largest container shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd, announced surcharges for transport on its ships to and from the Middle East. According to yesterday's announcement on the company's website, this is a seasonal surcharge from January 1st for travel from Asia and Oceania to the Red Sea region.
Depending on the route and the size of the container, surcharges vary between 250 and 1,000 dollars (around 230 to 910 euros) per container. Danish shipping company Maersk had already announced additional shipping fees for containers. The French company CMA CGM also operates in a similar way.