Cairo –11 June 2025: Maritime activity in the Red Sea has significantly increased since August 2024, with daily vessel numbers rising by about 60%, according to Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, who leads the EU’s Red Sea Aspides mission.
This marks a notable improvement from the 20 to 23 ships seen each day during the low point in August of the previous year.
Despite this upward trend, current traffic levels still fall short of the 72 to 75 vessels per day that were typical before Houthi attacks intensified in late 2023, indicating that full recovery has yet to be achieved.
The Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group began targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea in November 2023, citing support for Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza.
Rear Admiral Gryparis attributed the improvement in traffic partly to a ceasefire deal between the Houthis and the United States, which has reduced the frequency of missile and drone attacks. The last known assault on a commercial vessel occurred in November 2024.
Nonetheless, he warned that no absolute guarantees can be made regarding ship safety in the region.
Since its launch, the mission has provided armed escorts to nearly 500 ships, intercepted four ballistic missiles, and neutralized multiple aerial and maritime threats, including drones and remote-controlled attack boats.
In February 2025, its mandate was expanded to include the interception of illegal arms shipments and vessels carrying sanctioned Russian oil.
In a related effort to restore commercial confidence, Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority introduced a 15 percent discount on transit fees starting May 15, applicable for large container ships for a period of 90 days. The move, responding to industry requests, aims to attract major shipping lines back to the route.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty later emphasized that restoring stable traffic through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal is essential to global trade, especially amid ongoing geopolitical tensions that have strained Egypt’s economy.
Wed, Jun. 11, 2025
