THE maritime security landscape in the Red Sea and Gulf of Guinea (GoG) is marked by escalating threats and vulnerabilities with recent Houthi attacks which have underscored the growing risks posed by relatively inexpensive and hard-to-detect drones.
These drones, alongside anti-ship missiles and loitering munitions, have become central to Houthi tactics, targeting commercial vessels navigating the critical Bab al-Mandeb strait - a key chokepoint linking the Horn of Africa with the Middle East.
The use of these advanced weapons highlights a troubling shift toward technologically sophisticated assaults against maritime assets, foreshadowing potential future threats to shipping, ports, and navigation systems, writes Greece's Container News.
The impact of these security challenges is tangible. Houthi drone and missile attacks have severely disrupted shipping routes, affecting global trade flows.
According to recent data taken by Safety and Shipping Review for 2024 by Allianz Commercial, transits through the Suez Canal dropped by over 42 per cent at the beginning of 2024, with container traffic plummeting by 82 per cent and specialized car-carrying ships in the Red Sea decreasing by more than half compared to the previous year.
According to Castor Vali Risk Management, the use of uncrewed aerial systems and missiles by Houthi militants is escalating the asymmetric threats facing maritime trade.
As shipping routes increasingly reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, vessels will pass through the Gulf of Guinea, a region already marked by significant instability.
With the potential influx of new, low-cost weapons, there is a growing risk that both the Red Sea and Gulf of Guinea (GoG) could become permanent hotspots for maritime insecurity.
In the Gulf of Guinea, the situation reflects a different yet equally pressing issue. The region's vast maritime resources, part of the so-called blue economy, remain largely untapped due to chronic 'sea blindness' - a focus on land-based security at the expense of maritime considerations.
This neglect has left countries in the GoG vulnerable to exploitation by criminal networks, exacerbating maritime insecurity. The lack of investment and strategic focus on maritime spaces has made these regions attractive targets for maritime crime.
In Nigeria, maritime security is further compromised by a high incidence of piracy. The country accounts for 80 per cent of reported maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, despite legislative efforts such as the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act (SPOMO) of 2019.
Nigeria recorded thirty-five piracy attacks in 2020, underscoring the ongoing severity of maritime crime despite regulatory measures.
SeaNews Turkey
These drones, alongside anti-ship missiles and loitering munitions, have become central to Houthi tactics, targeting commercial vessels navigating the critical Bab al-Mandeb strait - a key chokepoint linking the Horn of Africa with the Middle East.
The use of these advanced weapons highlights a troubling shift toward technologically sophisticated assaults against maritime assets, foreshadowing potential future threats to shipping, ports, and navigation systems, writes Greece's Container News.
The impact of these security challenges is tangible. Houthi drone and missile attacks have severely disrupted shipping routes, affecting global trade flows.
According to recent data taken by Safety and Shipping Review for 2024 by Allianz Commercial, transits through the Suez Canal dropped by over 42 per cent at the beginning of 2024, with container traffic plummeting by 82 per cent and specialized car-carrying ships in the Red Sea decreasing by more than half compared to the previous year.
According to Castor Vali Risk Management, the use of uncrewed aerial systems and missiles by Houthi militants is escalating the asymmetric threats facing maritime trade.
As shipping routes increasingly reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, vessels will pass through the Gulf of Guinea, a region already marked by significant instability.
With the potential influx of new, low-cost weapons, there is a growing risk that both the Red Sea and Gulf of Guinea (GoG) could become permanent hotspots for maritime insecurity.
In the Gulf of Guinea, the situation reflects a different yet equally pressing issue. The region's vast maritime resources, part of the so-called blue economy, remain largely untapped due to chronic 'sea blindness' - a focus on land-based security at the expense of maritime considerations.
This neglect has left countries in the GoG vulnerable to exploitation by criminal networks, exacerbating maritime insecurity. The lack of investment and strategic focus on maritime spaces has made these regions attractive targets for maritime crime.
In Nigeria, maritime security is further compromised by a high incidence of piracy. The country accounts for 80 per cent of reported maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, despite legislative efforts such as the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act (SPOMO) of 2019.
Nigeria recorded thirty-five piracy attacks in 2020, underscoring the ongoing severity of maritime crime despite regulatory measures.
SeaNews Turkey
