Panama-flagged vessels advised to avoid the Red Sea

The Panama Maritime Authority has issued an advisory for all Panama-flagged vessels to avoid transit through the Red Sea route amid increasing Houthi attacks.

PHOTO: A large container ship passing the Suez Canal, Egypt. Getty Images

The Panama Maritime Authority has urged all Panama-registered and flagged vessels to keep the Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) transponders always turned on while transiting the Gulf of Aden, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Oman.

The maritime administrator has further advised vessel crew members to maintain communication with maritime security providers like the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which has deployed maritime task forces to counter attacks by the Houthi militants and safeguard commercial vessels that are transiting through high-risk zones near Yemen’s port of Aden.

“Vessels using privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) are advised to re-evaluate use of force standards with their private maritime security company and avoid any type of confrontation with military forces,” the Panama Maritime Authority said.

The Iran-backed rebel group, which controls significant parts of Yemen, has been launching missiles and drones at commercial vessels in the Red Sea since mid-November as a retaliation to Israel’s refusal of a ceasefire in Gaza. This has forced several shipping companies to re-route vessels via the Cape of Good Hope.

By Aparupa Mazumder 

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