More Vessels Reverse Course Amid Houthi Red Sea Threat

Vessels Continue to Reverse Course

According to a report by The Maritime Executive, additional merchant vessels were identified reversing course on July 22, following similar movements a day earlier, as shipowners and operators sought to avoid potential hostile action linked to Houthi forces in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The tracking service Vanguard identified six ships that may have altered course overnight between July 21 and 22, describing the moves as possibly discretionary route changes made “without commercial penalty.”

Among the vessels flagged were the Marshall Islands-flagged car carrier Liu Jiang Kou, now sailing east on the Maritime Transit Security Corridor (MTSC) out of the Gulf of Aden, and the Russian-flagged, EU/UK/US-sanctioned products tanker Trust, now anchored off Jeddah. The Singapore-flagged tanker Navig8 Express appeared to have turned back toward Yanbu, while the Liberia-flagged tanker Mica halted off Jizan instead of continuing to Sohar. Two Suezmax tankers, the Malta-flagged Agios Gerasimos and Liberia-flagged Amazon, were reported heading toward the Sumed Pipeline and the Suez Canal respectively.

Traffic and Warnings

Despite the diversions, traffic on the MTSC remained comparable to the previous day, with around 22 vessels still transiting waters off the Houthi-held Red Sea coastline with AIS transponders active as of midday July 22. The Houthi Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center had not published formal warnings tied to a blockade previously announced by military spokesman Brigadier Yahya Sare’e.

Both the British and U.S. governments issued statements opposing the Houthi blockade threat, with Washington indicating it would respond if shipping is physically obstructed. The UK has not taken visible action so far.

EU Operation Aspides Response

Operation Aspides, the EU’s defensive naval mission launched in February 2024 in response to Houthi attacks on shipping, recently marked 29 months of operation and reported having supported more than 2,200 merchant vessels. Its public updates have not directly addressed the latest blockade threat, though gCaptain, citing Reuters, reported that an EUNAVFOR Aspides advisory recommends vessels linked to Israeli, U.S., or Saudi interests avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until the threat level eases. There is currently no indication the EU plans to adjust the naval forces committed to the operation.