Industry concerns have been raised that pirates in West Africa, who have seen shipping trade shifting from the Al-Mandeb strait to around the Cape, could also refocus their operations into the Gulf of Guinea.
Greece is seeking a leading role including taking command of the forthcoming EU naval mission in the Red Sea aimed at safeguarding ships from attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sare'e has claimed that merchant vessel KOI was successfully attacked with naval missiles.