The European Union’s Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) OPERATION ASPIDES is an EU defensive maritime security operation under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The Area of Operation encompasses the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman, the Gulf, and the NW Indian Ocean. Operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES officially launched and commenced operations on 19 February 2024 with an initial mandate of one year. ASPIDES acts in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2722, which demands the cessation of Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels and recognizes the right to defend vessels against such attacks, in line with international law.
ASPIDES’ mandate is clear and comprehensive, designed to tackle the complex and evolving challenges posed by the security crisis in the region. At its core, the mission contributes to freedom of navigation, enhances maritime security, and facilitates the de-escalation of tensions within its vast area of operation. This multidimensional mandate is driven by the goal of contributing to safe and secure maritime passage through one of the world’s most vital and vulnerable trade corridors.
To fulfill this mission, ASPIDES focuses on three fundamental tasks:
1. Protection: ASPIDES defends merchant vessels and their crews actively, using appropriate positioning, necessary and proportioned measures to deter and neutralise attacks in international airspace and the high seas.
2. Accompaniment: This involves deploying naval assets and implementing proactive protective measures tailored to the unique needs of individual vessels. Whether it’s a single merchant ship or a group of vessels, accompaniment provides reassurance and mitigates risks during transit.
3. Situational awareness: A cornerstone of the mission, situational awareness is about more than just monitoring—it’s about anticipating and preventing threats. This involves leveraging advanced surveillance technology, real-time intelligence sharing, and strategic coordination to create a comprehensive maritime domain picture.
ASPIDES also operates in complete alignment with the principles and mission of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), particularly regarding the promotion of safety, security, and environmental protection in international waters. This cooperation underscores the EU’s commitment and willingness to contribute actively to shared security goals.
Key aspects of this alignment include:
- Free maritime security services: ASPIDES provides comprehensive security services to the shipping industry at NO cost. The financial burden is borne entirely by EU member states, particularly those providing assets in the area of operation.
- Shared responsibility: While ASPIDES has demonstrated substantial efficacy, its future success relies on additional assets and resources from member states and other like-minded nations. I therefore call on all nations that wish to contribute to the common effort to join ASPIDES.
The alignment between ASPIDES and IMO’s objectives reinforces the mission’s credibility. It enhances its ability to coordinate effectively with international stakeholders, furthering the shared goal of ensuring safe and secure maritime operations.
The immediate consequences of these attacks caused a 50% reduction in merchant vessel traffic passing through this critical maritime corridor between December 2023 and March 2024. This decline had ripple effects on multiple levels:
- For seafarers: Their livelihoods were directly jeopardised.
- For the global supply chain: The interruption in shipping caused delays, increased costs and heightened uncertainties for industries dependent on timely deliveries.
- For maritime security: A rising sense of vulnerability pervaded the region, encouraging hostile actors to exploit gaps in protective measures.
The insecurity in this region had tangible repercussions:
- Shipping routes were diverted to alternative, less efficient pathways, such as around the Cape of Good Hope, leading to increased operational costs, longer delivery times, and heightened risk exposure..
- These disruptions affected global markets, underscoring the need for a coordinated and effective response.
ASPIDES was designated to address these challenges head-on. In other words, this mission:
- Supports reassurance to the global shipping community.
- Increases the safety of vital trade corridors.
- Demonstrates the EU’s ability to act as a steadfast and reliable maritime security provider.
So far, we have halted the rate of decline in merchant ship traffic and stabilised the volume of the ships using this passage.
Adding to the complexity of these physical threats is the insidious nature of propaganda campaigns orchestrated by Houthi forces:
- Leveraging the power of social media, adversaries amplify their claims of success, painting an exaggerated or entirely false picture of their operational effectiveness.
- ASPIDES intelligence has systematically debunked many of these claims, with an estimated 56% of their purported victories proven false while another 19% is partially true. This persistent misinformation campaign seeks to intimidate the maritime industry by inflating the perception of their capabilities.
Maritime industry stakeholders must cautiously approach the threats and rely on ASPIDES for accurate, fact-based intelligence and operational guidance. Houthi misinformation through propaganda is ultimately their most effective weapon in intimidating the shipping industry.
With the ceasefire agreed upon between the State of Israel and Hamas, Houthis have declared that the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, and Bab-el-Mandeb are now open to all commercial vessels, except those under Israeli flag or those directly owned by Israeli entities and as long as there are no attacks on Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. We have seen a significant decline in attacks and stay vigilant to assess the new conditions.
According to Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), “a total of 47 ships have changed their routes to transit through the Suez Canal instead of the Cape of Good Hope since the beginning of February, as shipping lines respond to growing signs of stability in the Red Sea”.
Given that the Houthis can resume their attacks, the maritime community is advised to exercise maximum caution and continue implementing the Best Practices recommended by EUNAVFORs. For the moment, EUNAVFOR ASPIDES’ threat assessment remains unchanged.
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES has already completed one year of operations. On 14 February 2025, EU Council decided to prolong the mandate of the operation until 28 February 2026. Furthermore, the Council decided that, in order to ensure maritime situation awareness in the area of operation, Operation ASPIDES should be able to collect information, in addition to data necessary to protect vessels, on arms trafficking and on shadow fleets with a view to sharing this information with member states, the European Commission, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES remains committed to its mission and continues to support common EU efforts to uphold maritime security in one of the world’s most strategically vital and challenging regions. This mission symbolizes more than a temporary response to a crisis—it is a long-term commitment to the principles of freedom, safety, and stability on the high seas.
