According the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (the European Union’s naval mission in the Red Sea), the salvage operation of the tanker started on Saturday, 14 September. The Greek-registered oil tanker MV Sounion, was attacked in August by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The hull is on fire since the attack and is threatening to cause a large scale ecological disaster: The vessel carries in excess of a million barrels of crude oil. It the hull was to break or explode, a massive oil spill would follow.
The European Council has launched EUNAVFOR ASPIDES back in February. The mandate of “Aspides” is to “provide maritime situational awareness, accompany vessels, and protect them against possible multi-domain attacks at sea.“.
A EUNAVFOR ASPIDES statement issued on Saturday reads:
Update on MV SOUNION salvage status
The salvage operation of the MV SOUNION is essential in order to avert a potential environmental disaster in the region. To achieve this, several public and private actors are working together.
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES assets have been actively involved in this complex endeavor, by creating a secure environment, which is necessary for the tugboats to conduct the towing operation.
With its defensive mandate, ASPIDES serves to protect global common goods, including the environment and livelihoods of those living around the Red Sea.
Another statement issued yesterday reads:
Update on the MV SOUNION salvage status
The salvage of the MV SOUNION is a complex operation and consists of various phases.
The tug boats have successfully connected to the vessel and the towing of the MV SOUNION to a safe location is in progress.
By providing protection to this operation, EUNAVFOR ASPIDES contributes to maritime and environmental security.
Images released with the statements shows MV Sounion (with the hull still on fire) under tow from an ocean-going tug boat and surrounded by three smaller tug boats. The tug boats are reportedly from Greece. The destination of the vessels has not been publicly released.
Three warships are providing escort to the salvage operation as the ships could still come under attack from Houthi rebels. Naval News understands that these vessels are an Italian Navy air defense destroyer, a French Navy air defense destroyer and an Hellenic Navy frigate:
- ITS Andrea Doria
- FS Chevalier Paul
- HS Psara
The Italian and French vessels are Horizon / Orrizonte type air defense destroyers and among the best dedicated air defense vessels in Europe. The Greek vessel has been fitted with a new counter drone system ahead of its deployment to the Red Sea. According to Greek press agency ANA, a team of naval special forces is aboard. This is likely one of the five OYK units (Underwater Demolition Team) of the Hellenic Navy.
However, such escort missions are unusual and highly complex. Former Turkish Navy captain and regular Naval News contributor Tayfun Ozberk explains:
While escorting civilian ships for different purposes is always complex missions, given that the area is high-risk due to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, makes it more dangerous and complicated. The Houthis have demonstrated the capability to launch missile and drone attacks against naval and civilian vessels in the Red Sea in the last one year. The presence of three warships implies a significant threat level that could escalate during the mission.The risk of further missile strikes, naval mines, or explosive-laden unmanned vessels poses a danger not only to the damaged ship and tugs but also to the escorting warships.
Navigating the Red Sea is already complex due to its narrowness, heavy maritime traffic, and shallow areas, especially near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. This becomes even more challenging when towing a damaged vessel, which restricts maneuverability and speed.The convoy’s slow movement increases vulnerability to ambushes and reduces the ability to perform evasive maneuvers in case of an attack.
Escorting multiple vessels (the damaged ship and three tugs) requires careful coordination. The convoy must maintain a formation that allows for defensive postures, while the warships must be vigilant to detect and intercept any threats. Communication between civilian and military crews can be complicated, especially in a high-pressure environment, requiring established protocols to ensure the safety of all involved.
The Houthis’ use of asymmetric tactics, including missile attacks, drones, and small boat swarms, poses unpredictable threats. Warships must remain on constant alert to detect and counter any sudden incursions. Asymmetric threats often target the most vulnerable parts of a convoy (in this case, the tugs or damaged ship), which can escalate the situation and require immediate defensive actions from the warships. The presence of three modern surface combatants provides enough capability to provide a careful surveillance around the convoy and have enough firepower. Still, the threat level is more than average.
This mission’s complexity arises from the combination of these threats, navigational challenges, coordination requirements, asymmetric warfare tactics, and the geopolitical environment. All these factors increase the stakes and necessitate a well-coordinated and vigilant escort operation.
Tayfun Ozberk contributed to this article
Update 17/09/2024:
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES announced that MV SOUNION has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill:
