For many commercial seamen, the dangers of the job include bad weather, long shifts, and rough seas. For those whose routes go through the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea in the Middle East, dangers are increasingly coming from piracy and warfare. Local and international efforts aim to keep the area safer for commercial vessels.
Somali Pirates
Somali pirate attacks have been a safety issue in shipping on and off for years. Most recently, pirates attempted to take a ship in the Gulf of Aden on November 26, 2023. A U.S. Navy vessel answered the distress call from the commercial ship called the Central Park, owned by an Israeli billionaire.
The pirates fled the Central Park but were pursued and ultimately surrendered. The hijackers were attempting to take control of the ship. All of the 22 crew members were safe after the incident, as was the cargo.
Somalia has increased its maritime police force since the incident, hoping to deter further pirate attacks on commercial vessels. They hope the attack is not a sign of more to come. Somali pirates were responsible for the deaths of 62 seamen in the area between 2007 and 2011, when hijackings decreased again.
Houthi Rebel Attacks
After the Somali pirates were apprehended during the November attack. Houthi rebels in Yemen fired two ballistic missiles toward the U.S. Navy ship and the commercial tanker. The attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea in the last few months have largely come from Houthi-controlled Yemen and pose more dangers to seamen than pirates.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen’s civil war are backed by Iran and control part of the country. The attacks were triggered by the war between Hamas and Israel. The rebels have mostly targeted American-flagged ships.
The U.S. Navy has begun escorting some of these vessels that continue to go through the Red Sea route. The Houthi rebels have begun directly attacking the Navy escort ships, which have returned fire. Some ships have had to turn around and reroute.
Many companies have rerouted their ships to avoid the area entirely. The attacks have led to the biggest redirection of commercial cargo vessels in many years. All of this puts innocent workers on vessels, not all of whom are American, at risk. It is also disrupting the global economy.
Both U.S. and British forces have conducted strikes against Yemen in retaliation. Other countries are pledging military support, including New Zealand.
Crewing a commercial vessel has always come with inherent risks. While the industry has done much to make jobs safer, some areas of the globe are riskier than others. Right now, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea pose significant dangers to commercial workers just trying to pass through. They could suffer injuries or even die as a result of missile attacks and pirate takeovers.
It is up to shipping companies to provide safe working environments for their employees. Increasingly, this means avoiding the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and taking other routes.