It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Saturday, June 22, 2024
PORTS OF CALL
India Approves Plan to Invest $9B to Build Mega Port Near Mumbai
Vadhavan will expand capacity on the Arabian Sea and will become of the 10 largest ports in the world (JNPA)
The Indian government today approved plans to create a new port on the west coast north of Mumbai that they contend when completed will become one of the world’s top 10 ports. The Vadhavan Port is designed to increase capacity and be part of a vital trade corridor between India, the Middle East, and Europe.
The location which is less than 100 miles north of Mumbai is critical as the region only has two ports currently. The Mumbai port is constricted in growth capacity by the city and has a lower natural draft, while the Jawaharlal Nehru Port primarily handles containers. Vadhavan has a natural draft of up to 20 meters (65 feet) so that it can handle the largest ships in the world. It will be an all-cargo port with zones for containers, dry and wet bulk.
An Australian company first proposed a port for the region in 1997, but the project did not proceed. The Indian government began the effort to design Vadhavan in 2015. Today, the cabinet approved spending more than $9.1 billion for the construction of the port which will be jointly owned by the port authority and Maharashtra Maritime Board.
Site plan for the mega port (JNPA)
The port will include nine container terminals, each over 3,200 feet long, four multipurpose berths, including the coastal berth, four liquid cargo berths, a Ro-Ro berth, and a Coast Guard berth.
The government will reclaim 1,448 hectares of sea area and construct over six miles of offshore breakwater and container or cargo storage areas. The port will have a total annual capacity to handle nearly 300 million tons of cargo. By 2035, they expect the port will handle 15 million TEU annually and grow to 23 million TEU by 2040.
It is one of the most ambitious projects proposed by the government of recently re-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is part of a vision to make India into an industrial powerhouse and first-world trading partner.
MSC Containerships to Use Shore Power in Hamburg as Port Expands Capacity
MSC signed an agreementto use shore power for both its containerships and cruise ships (HHA)
A month after Hamburg inaugurated its shore power capability for containerships, the port authority reports it has signed an agreement with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company. The container carrier giant will begin using shore power on its container vessels making it the first shipping line to be using shore power both for its cruise ships and containerships in the port.
Hamburg began developing its shore power capabilities more than two years ago. The Hamburg Container Terminal (CTH) was the first of the major terminals outfitted with the capability which was tested earlier this year and inaugurated with a CMA CGM containership in May. The terminal is operated by Eurogate. Hamburg reports it is the first large port in Europe capable of providing shore power for containerships.
The plant at the CTH has three connection points, each with an output of 7.5 megavolt amperes. The electricity used comes 100 percent from renewable sources. CTH can handle three mega-ships at one time using shore power.
The plant was financed in roughly equal parts by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg with support from the federal government. The total cost of the plant is around $14 million.
“After we signed a joint letter of intent with MSC Cruises in June last year to use shore power in the Port of Hamburg, I am delighted that MSC now wants to work with us to make shipping and port operations more environmentally friendly by using shore power for container ships in the Port of Hamburg,” said Friedrich Stuhrmann, Chief Commercial Officer of HPA.”
The port highlights that it is continuing to build its capabilities and is also in discussion with more shipping lines. The other container terminals in Hamburg are currently being equipped with shore power systems.
A new shore power system for cruise ships calling at Hamburg went into operation at the Cruise Center Steinwerder in April 2024. The HPA reports that in addition to MSC, Carnival Corp. including Princess Cruises as well as TUI Cruises, Fred. Olsen, Phoenix Risen, and Norwegian Cruise Line have also committed to using shore power.
The port is also developing a new cruise terminal in HafenCity. The terminal is currently under construction. It will be outfitted to provide shore power when it opens in 2025.
CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M
Report: In Nigeria, Bribery Can Tack $150,000 Onto Cost of One Shipment
The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) has released a comprehensive report on the cost of corrupt port practices in Nigeria, where maritime officials are notorious for bribery requests. When including the indirect cost of delays, the impact is staggering, amounting to a double-digit tax on transport and logistics expenses for imported food and bulk products - an extra expense that is ultimately passed on to Nigeria's predominantly low-income population.
According to MACN, maritime authorities in Nigeria have made progress in reducing corruption in the ports sector over the last five years, thanks in part to pressure from industry. However, bribery is still a serious problem at Nigerian ports and creates operational challenges for international shipping companies. When port officials try to extract cash from shipping companies and crews, it slows down cargo clearance, increases the cost of trade, and creates potential legal exposure for the company and crew if they agree to make a facilitation payment.
The costs add up across the entire journey of the cargo, from extra insurance premiums for the voyage to extra demurrage charges during port delays to cash payments at police checkpoints during drayage. The likelihood of a delay also forces Nigerian retailers to hold extra stock on hand so that they do not run out if their latest shipment is held in port. This increases the cost of doing business across the Nigerian economy.
Based on a business-as-usual scenario, MACN (together with consultancy QBIS) estimates that the cost of maritime corruption for bulk and food products in Nigeria comes to a total of about $160 million per year, based on a staggering $150,000-$180,000 extra cost per shipment. This represents an extra 15 percent charge on top of total transport and logistics costs for critical imports, and the cost is ultimately borne by the private sector - hiking grain and gas prices by about 1-2 percent for the average Nigerian family.
"With 63 percent of Nigerians or 133 million people classified as multidimensionally poor, most Nigerian families do not have a budget surplus," noted MACN. "Increased import costs due to corruption are therefore likely to reduce their household demand and make essential goods less affordable."
Extrapolating overall economic impact, MACN estimates that Nigeria loses $200 million per year in GDP, and has 235,000 fewer full-time jobs than it might in a scenario without bribery demands.
Though corruption is a persistent challenge in Nigeria, MACN believes that it can be addressed through "steadfast industry commitment and proactive government measures." The speed of resolving bribery cases has dropped to less than one day, and usually less than eight hours. The group's anti-bribery help desk is now able to resolve 98 percent of reported cases, and only has to report the remaining two percent to the authorities for resolution.
"MACN's initiative has become a transformative force in the maritime industry, setting a powerful example of how anti-corruption efforts can drive systemic change, enhance integrity in trade, and ultimately reduce the costs of doing business," the group concluded.
LAW OF THE SEA
Spanish Coast Guard Sends Cruise Ship to Rescue 68 Migrants from Atlantic
Insignia was divered while sailing toward Tenerife (Oceania Cruises)
Spain’s maritime rescue and safety society, Salvamento Marítimo, is congratulating Oceania Cruises’ ship the Insignia on the rescue of 68 people that were adrift in the Atlantic approximately 440 miles south of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The cruise ship was asked to divert and intervene because according to Associated Press, the migrants were “a long way out” and believed to be in danger.
The bulker Philipp Oldendorff first sighted the small boat on Wednesday reporting the situation to the authorities. The 115,000 dwt bulker was bound from Spain to Brazil when it found the small boat. They provided emergency first aid to the people while Salvamento Maritimo coordinated the rescue with the cruise ship which was sailing from Africa to the Canary Islands.
The Insignia is a smaller cruise ship owned by a division of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. At 30,000 gross tons, it has accommodations for up to 670 passengers and a crew of 400. It is registered in the Marshall Islands.
Associated Press is quoting one of the passengers aboard saying the cruise ship took about two hours to reach the small boat. Weather conditions were reported to be poor when they reached the scene but they were able to transfer 62 men, three women, and three children to the cruise ship. They also recovered three bodies but were unable to recover two other deceased individuals aboard the small boat. The Insignia reportedly put a marker aboard the small boat to help the Coast Guard locate it.
The individuals were placed in the cruise ship’s lounge and given food and medical attention. They all put on jumpsuits while the passengers were being asked if they could donate any shoes or clothing.
After the rescue, the cruise ship reported that one of the individuals was in serious condition and required immediate medical attention. Salvamento Maritimo dispatched a helicopter but reports are that the individual expired before the teams could reach the cruise ship and the helicopter was recalled to Tenerife.
The Insignia is now sailing to Tenerife where it is due to arrive on Friday morning. A Coast Guard vessel was dispatched to meet the cruise ship and provide additional assistance. Afterward, it will return to the location to find the small boat.
Spain’s Interior Ministry highlighted to the Associated Press the ongoing challenge of migrants attempting to reach the Canary Islands. They said more than 23,000 people have landed in 2024 after a record 55,618 migrants arrived by boat in 2023.
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
Amon Maritime Launches Amon Gas with NOK 18 Million Grant from ENOVA
The grant was awarded at a ceremony hosted by the Norwegian minister of climate and the environment together with ENOVA at DNV HQ at Høvik.
“This is a significant milestone towards realizing carbon free transportation systems within the gas carrier segment. Amon Gas will provide the market with low-emission vessels while simultaneously meeting customer demands with innovative solutions.” says André Risholm, CEO Amon Maritime
Amon Gas is targeting a shipbuilding series starting with 2 firm orders of ammonia- powered MGCs with a goal of being in operation by 2028.
The vessels are designed to use ammonia as fuel, for both propulsion and power consumption, also when transporting LPG as cargo and incorporates the best energy-saving measures.
MGC is a large vessel type with high fuel consumption. This means that the climate impact per ship by switching to ammonia as fuel will be significant. Carbon emission calculations give an estimated 87% reduction compared to conventional vessels from the start of operations, with ambitions for further reductions towards 100%.
If ammonia is the fuel of the future, it will lead to a high growth in sea transport of ammonia. Ammonia is primarily transported on MGCs today.
If the ship transports ammonia, the "chicken-and-egg" dilemma of making bunkering available is avoided—the substance is already on board as cargo.
Because the ship is already designed for transporting ammonia, the relative additional cost in this segment compared to conventional ships will be less than in most other segments.
SRC and GREEN MARINE Join Forces to Bring Methanol Superstorage to Market
Hannes Lilp, CEO, SRC Group and Morten Jacobsen, President, GREEN MARINE sign collaborative agreement to deliver Methanol Superstorage to the maritime market.
SRC Group and GREEN MARINE have signed a collaborative agreement which brings two of the strongest advocates of methanol as a marine fuel together to develop and deliver Methanol Superstorage to market.
The cooperation aims to realise benefits available to SRC’s Methanol Superstorage solution, which has been turning heads among owners, builders, repairers, class societies and insurers since its launch. Using the SPS Technology Sandwich Plate System instead of traditional cofferdams that separate tank walls, Methanol Superstorage boosts shipboard tank volumes by 85% and provides effective mitigation for methanol’s significantly lower energy density than conventional HFO.
Independent advisory and project management firm GREEN MARINE has built an unrivalled track record for delivering methanol transition solutions for all ship segments. With a pedigree reaching back to the first use of methanol as a marine fuel, its services cover ship design, yard selection, construction supervision, technical management and operations, training, procurement, sales and bunkering, GREEN MARINE is involved in the majority of methanol-related ship projects in the world today.
“Following the huge initial impact made by Methanol Superstorage, SRC and GREEN MARINE will work together to provide comprehensive technical coverage for methanol integration,” said Hannes Lilp, CEO, SRC Group. “With GREEN MARINE’s extensive experience in methanol projects and overall technical knowledge of the entire process, combined with SRC’s expertise in methanol storage and over 23 years of experience in ship refits and conversions, we are well-placed to onboard Methanol Superstorage for both retrofit and new build vessels, and establish a mature sales framework to enable global adoption.”
GREEN MARINE continues to drive development of the methanol supply chain in the marine market, with recent agreements including preparations for projected supplies of green methanol from Chinese partners. The firm also recently named Singapore-based former Methanol Institute Chief Commercial Officer, Chris Chatterton as Managing Director & Partner, with effect from 1st July, 2024.
Chatterton commented: “Market receptiveness to Methanol Superstorage has been exceptional and we look forward to working with SRC to realise its extraordinary potential to help drive forward methanol as a mainstream marine fuel. Investors will be encouraged to know that, as the most experienced technical player in marine methanol, GREEN MARINE’s expertise, insight and global support stands alongside SRC in the demonstration phase of Methanol Superstorage.”
Methanol Superstorage has already received Approval in Principle from a leading IACS society, which indicates that no conceptual issues have been identified relating to ship regulatory requirements. “In parallel to class approvals, SRC and GREEN MARINE will also oversee and manage 3rd Party technical development” said Lilp.
Norway Provides Record Funding for Ammonia and Hydrogen Vessel Projects
Enova awarded 15 vessels grants to advance hydrogen and ammonia propulsion (Enova)
Enova, the Norwegian government’s clean energy fund developed to spur decarbonization efforts including in the maritime sector, is making its largest-ever awards. The latest competition round will provide approximately $114 million in support for a total of fifteen ships. Six of the vessels will be ammonia-fueled while nine will be cutting-edge hydrogen projects, including five dry bulk newbuilds for Maris Fiducia and the charter market.
The awards are going to Hoegh Autolines which is building a new class of the world’s largest car carriers with the last four slatted for dual-fuel ammonia propulsion. Amon Gas was also awarded for an ammonia project. The Norwegian division of Dutch shipowner Maris Fiducia, as well as Møre Sjø, Napier, and Halten Bulk, are all being awarded grants for hydrogen vessels.
Maris Fiducia announced plans for its project which will include five 6,000 dwt vessels designed by the Dutch firm Ankerbeer. The hull design is being optimized for efficiency and low fuel consumption.
The power plant will be a dual-fuel hydrogen ICE combined with fuel cells for auxiliary power. In addition to the ICE plant, they will be equipped with a Zero Emission Pod, a module containing a complete hydrogen energy system that is being developed and tested by Norway-based HAV Hydrogen. The company is currently developing its first full-scale pods, which will be ready for testing by 2025. They anticipate having them available by the end of 2025.
Maris Fiducia will build five hydrogen-fueled vessels for the charter market (Maris Fiducia)
Each of the ZEPODs is expected to deliver a total capacity of 400 kW, which will be enough to run all the auxiliary systems on the bulk carriers. They expect to be able to upgrade the ZEPODs to a 1 MW capacity at a later date.
Maris Fiducia notes that the technology is advancing rapidly. Just over a year ago, they said they were inspired to based on the fuel availability and emerging technical competence to pursue this concept. Enova awarded over $28 million in support for the project.
“This brings us another step closer to the commercial breakthrough for our hydrogen-based energy systems for ships,” says Kristian Osnes, managing director of HAV Hydrogen.
Another key part of the project will focus on establishing a commercial operation for vessels employing hydrogen fuel. The five bulkers will go on hire through a zero-emission time charter agreement with Schulte & Burns to establish the market for the vessels and the sector.
Enova reports “The competition was fierce, and there were many good projects,” applied in this round. They received applications for a total of 45 projects, of which 13 applications were distributed among eight unique companies on the hydrogen program and 32 applications from 11 companies on the ammonia program. The goal was to reduce the barriers for actors who use hydrogen and ammonia as fuel in vessels so that the first functioning value chain within hydrogen and ammonia can be established in Norway. The next application deadline for the program’s hydrogen and ammonia in vessels is September 27.
Study Finds High Fuel Quality in Biodiesel Supply Chain
The Global Center for Maritime Decarbonization, the green-fuel think tank founded by Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority, has released a comprehensive report on the stability of biodiesel (FAME) as a marine fuel. First-generation biodiesel has been in production and use for road transport applications for decades, and it is trickling into the marine fuel market for the same reasons that it is popular on land: it is relatively cost-competitive, and it can be blended in any proportion with fossil-derived diesel fuel. GCMD set out to determine how FAME fuels are faring in maritime supply chains, with a particular eye to biodiesel's problems with degradation - and its researchers came away with positive results.
First-generation biodiesel is made by reacting natural fats - like vegetable oil or tallow - with methanol in the presence of an alkaline catalyst (lye). The products of the reaction are fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), plus a smaller quantity of glycerol. After extensive purification, the FAME is sold as a fuel. It is a common ingredient in over-the-road diesel blends in the United States and Europe.
This chemical process differs from the next-generation "renewable diesel" or "RLD" process, which runs the same natural fat feedstocks through a hydrocracker, resulting in a product identical to fossil diesel. First-generation FAME has many desirable attributes, but it also has shortcomings compared with RLD. FAME slowly degrades in the presence of water and atmospheric oxygen, both found in abundance at sea. It can also deteriorate in the tank if water is present and bacteria or mold take hold. At worst, these problems can cause sludging in fuel injectors, pumps and piping, much like "bad bunkers." FAME's natural oxidation process also creates organic acids, which can corrode piping and fuel systems.
Given these potential contamination problems, and the increasing interest in biodiesel as a marine fuel, GCMD set out to study how FAME works in real-world bunker supply chains. It followed the use of FAME fuels aboard 13 vessels bunkering in three different ports, drawing on four different suppliers. Its researchers sampled the fuel at multiple points along two of these supply chains - from the producing facility to the bunker barge - to determine whether the fuel could get contaminated or degrade before loading. (The research did not cover long-term performance aboard the vessels after loading.)
The group's findings were positive: no substantial changes were found in the substance's characteristics during five months of midstream storage, transport and blending. There were no meaningful issues with acidity, sludginess, reduced energy content or biological contamination.
"The results from our end-to-end supply chain trials indicate no significant degradation of FAME, arising from autoxidation, hydrolytic oxidation or microbial contamination under standard commercial operations conditions," the team concluded. "Given the potential for higher adoption of biofuels, the shipping industry will need to continue to build up a crucial database to develop best practices to guide the development of biofuels use."
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Joins Methanol Sector with Order for First RoRos
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding recently launched the first LNG-fueled car carrier for Toyofuji Shipping (Toyofuji)
Japan’s Mitsubishi Shipbuilding is joining the emerging group of shipyards capable of building ocean-going methanol-fueled vessels. While the alternative fuel is dominating new orders, with 269 orders due for delivery over the next five years according to DNV, only a few shipyards are building the vessels.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding signed an order for Japan’s first methanol dual-fuel RoRo car carriers. The two ships will be deployed on a Japanese coastal service and designed to address the emerging trends in shipping.
Toyofuji Shipping is ordering two ships as part of a promotional project jointly sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Toyofuji will own the first vessel and the second with be shared with Fukuju Ship Company. Both vessels are due for delivery by the end of 2027.
In addition to being the first dual-fuel methanol-fueled RoRos for Japan, the vessels will incorporate other design elements to improve efficiency. They will be equipped with Mitsubishi’s energy-saving technology system and energy saving propellers and high-performance rudders with reduced resistance. They will have a high-efficiency dual-fuel main engine and the shape of the bow and vertical stem is designed to reduce propulsion resistance.
The ships will be larger than the conventional coastal car carriers. The length will be increased by approximately five meters (more than 16 feet) and the tonnage will increase from 12,687 to 15,750. Loading capacity will expand by 15 percent or 300 vehicles to a total of 2,300 units. This will permit the companies to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 20 percent per unit. Overall, they expect an initial 10 percent reduction in CO2 emissions which can be further increased through the conversion to green methanol. Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company and Kokuka Sangyo will supply the methanol bunkering from conventional vessels.
While the ships are larger, they will be able to call at conventional ports. The size increase will also address the labor shortages being experienced in the shipping industry as well as the calls for work style reforms. The increased loads will provide more schedule flexibility and rest time for crews.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding reports it will expand on its experience with LNG to develop the new vessels. The Enoura shipyard in Shimoseki City earlier this month launched the first LNG-fueled car carrier for Toyofuji Shipping. Named Trans Harmony Green, the vessel is 49,500 tons with a capacity for 3,000 vehicles. It will be operating the company’s Asia weekly service.
Methanol-fueled car carriers are a new segment for the emerging alternative fuel. DNV reports less than seven percent of the methanol-fueled orderbook is for car carriers with only 18 vessels ordered so far for the segment. Containerships continue to make up the vast majority of the orders for methanol-fueled vessels although other segments are starting to emerge.
South Korea Stops Cargo Ship on Alleged Violation of North Korea Sanctions
South Korea's Coast Guard redirected the ship to the anchorage in Busan (file photo)
For the second time in a little over two months, the South Korean Coast Guard on Thursday stopped a cargo ship and redirected it to the port of Busan for further inspection. Few details have been released or what prompted the action against the individual vessel with South Korean officials only saying there was a “suspicion of violations.”
Under international maritime law, South Korea is permitted to stop vessels suspected of violating UN Security Council sanctions if the vessels are in its territorial waters. Maritime interdiction is permitted (unofficially encouraged) if a vessel is suspected of transporting prohibited goods or facilitating smuggling or other illegal activities. A nation can also intervene when ship-to-ship transfers are taking place in territorial waters. A nation can stop for inspection, detain, and even potentially move to seize the vessel.
Korea’s Yonhap news agency is reporting that the 2,900-ton vessel was stopped and later moved into Busan for further investigation. They are reporting the vessel was allegedly carrying coal, which is a sanctioned material, as well as iron ore. They are saying the ship had departed Russia and was presumed to have stopped in North Korea before starting a voyage to China.
For nearly 20 years, the United Nations Security Council has imposed a range of sanctions against North Korea. The goal was to discourage aggression and limit weapons programs and the export of materials. This includes electrical equipment, coal, and foodstuffs. North Korea is known to be an arms exporter with reports of further deals after its president Kim Jong Un and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin met for two days earlier this week.
"In relation to the vessel's suspected violation of UNSC sanctions, relevant government agencies are taking necessary steps in line with the international and domestic laws," the South Korean Foreign Ministry told Yonhap, which was unable to confirm which sanctions the voyage allegedly contravened.
There are 10 crewmembers aboard who are being held aboard the ship. There was no report of their nationality and some reports are saying the vessel appeared to be stateless.
South Korea also continues to hold a second vessel, the general cargo ship named De Yi, stopped on March 30. The vessel also remains in Busan with its crew still aboard. The 6,800-ton cargo ship appeared to be stateless when it was stopped.
The Foreign Ministry said the ship was believed to have been in North Korea’s Namo Port before proceeding to Shandong, China, and at the time it was detained it was reporting Vladivostok, Russia as its destination. The report said there were 13 crewmembers, including a Chinese captain and Chinese and Indonesian crewmembers aboard. They were refusing to cooperate with the South Korean authorities.
South Korea has seized other ships in the past also for alleged violations. In November and December 2017, they seized two different product tankers. Both vessels were alleged to have been conducting ship-to-ship transfers of oil products.
UPDATED
Houthis Confirm Boarding Tutor While Threatening Another Ship in Escalation
Houthis confirmed boarding and setting off explosive on the bulker Tutor (X screen grab)
The leadership of the Houthis confirmed in a televised speech that its forces had hastened the sinking of the bulker Tutor earlier in the week while making a similar threat to the abandoned bulker Verbena still afloat and drifting in the Gulf of Aden. This came as the leader of the EU operation said in an interview that its force needed to be expanded to counter the current escalation by the Houthi.
Citing what he called the “fourth stage of the escalation,” the declared leader of the Houthi Abdul-Malik al-Houthi during the televised speech said his followers were “able to board the ship Tutor, and booby-trapped it and blew it up after it was first hit by a military boat.” This is consistent with the images released showing multiple explosions at the stern of the disabled ship which had been abandoned and was drifting in the Red Sea.
There had been similar unconfirmed allegations in March that the Houthi also boarded the Rubymar, a bulker carrying fertilizer to Lebanon, and also sabotaged it causing the vessel that had been drifting for days to suddenly sink. The Houthi were able to reach both vessels after the crews abandoned ship and before salvage teams arrived at the vessels.
During the speech, the Houthis said “There is a second ship that is about to sink in the Gulf of Aden.” It was a veiled threat to carry out a similar operation on the Verbena which they had earlier asserted had already sunk. The ship was abandoned when the crew was unable to control a fire started by the Houthi attack. Unconfirmed reports said a salvage team is being organized for this vessel.
The Houthi asserted that they had conducted 10 operations with 26 missiles, drones, and one boat over the past week. They said eight ships were targeted bringing the total to 153. Their strong claim, flatly denied by CENTCOM and officers on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, was that they had targeted the Eisenhower for a third time in the northern Red Sea “with missiles and chasing it.”
The Operational Commander for EU NAVFOR Aspides spoke with Bloomberg marking four months of the operation. Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis said in the interview that they have escorted 164 ships while shooting down more than a dozen unmanned aerial vehicles and four anti-ship ballistic missiles. Despite having four warships, he said the operation is limited due to the scope of the area to “A small part of the southern Red Sea, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.”
Rear Admiral Gryparis Admiral told Bloomberg that the force needs to be more than doubled because of the escalation. On June 19, he also presented to the European Union Military Committee the revision of the Operation Plan for Aspides.
Unconfirmed reports are that the U.S. currently has three warships in addition to the Eisenhower in the region. The Houthis acknowledged that the “Americans and British carried out 24 raids this week,” while saying they had no effect. CENTCOM however reported that ground control and radar installations were destroyed. They also reported destroying many of the uncrewed surface vessels over the past week including four more in the last 24 hours.
Video: Houthis Show Methods Used to Sink the Bulker Tutor
The Houthis released a propaganda video on social media showing the attacks on the bulker Tutor which was lost on Tuesday a week after the vessel was struck. In addition to showing the attacks, it appears to show that they hastened the demise of the vessel, something that was also rumored but not confirmed for the Rubymar in March.
According to the statement from the Houthi military forces, they warned Evalendar Shipping that it had violated their ban on ships calling in Israeli ports. The Houthis contend that the Greek company’s vessel Shimanami Star (28,500 dwt and registered in the Bahamas) had made a port call in Haifa on an unspecified date. They are also reporting that the Tutor turned off its AIS signal while it was in the Red Sea, a commonly followed practice by many vessels.
“During its passage from the Red Sea, several naval weapons were used to target and sink the ship Tutor, including weapons used for the first time. We call on all shipping companies to take our warnings seriously, otherwise, they will bear full responsibility for the safety of ships and crews,” the Houthi military said in its statement.
The small boat can be seen approaching the vessel and the video captures the moment of impact.
Security consultants Ambrey in its Threat Circular last week described the attacks as being carried out with a fishing boat that is 5 to 7 meters (16 to 23 feet) in length and made of fiberglass or wood. The Houthis placed dummy figures in the boat in an attempt to disguise the threat. Ambrey writes that in past incidents a second skiff was in the area and believed to be controlling the radio-controlled vessel.
One of the attack boats washed up near the Bab al Mandeb Strait in January 2024. Ambrey reports it was found they said to contain 25 kg of C4 explosives and 50 kg of TNT. It had three electronic switches using contact switches for the detonation.
The video also shows a second explosion on the port side of the vessel which is consistent with the reports. However, viewers are asking if it was a second drone boat and not a missile or “unknown projectile” as described in the reports from the vessel and U.S. Central Command.
The Tutor was abandoned by the crew on Friday, June 14. U.S. and French forces coordinated the evacuation of the crew while salvage vessels were due to reach the bulker at the beginning of this week.
At the end of the Houthi video, the bulker is seen low at the stern which is consistent with the reports that its engine room was flooded. However, then there is a ring of explosions around the stern of the vessel raising the question of whether the Houthi set off additional charges to hasten the sinking. There were reports in March that a small boat was seen near the Rubymar which had been in a similar situation to the Tutor, drifting and sinking at the stern. Hours later videos showed the Rubymar plunging below the Red Sea.
CENTCOM reports that U.S. forces continued their efforts to target control capabilities after last week’s attacks. In the past 24 hours, they are saying forces destroyed two Houthi uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea similar to the one used on the Tutor. Separately, CENTCOM forces successfully destroyed one ground control station and one command and control node in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.
Report: After Months Battling Houthis, Navy Wants to Bring Eisenhower Home
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, left, steams alongside Italian Navy forces in the Red Sea, June 7 (USN)
After 250 in the Med and the Mideast, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has achieved the mantle of most-deployed carrier in the fleet - and the Navy wants to bring her home, according to a new report.
USS Eisenhower is stationed in the Red Sea to defend shipping interests from attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The terrorist group claims to have carried out multiple attacks on the carrier itself, and the Associated Press confirms that Houthi missiles have made it close enough that crewmembers in her strike group were able to watch air defenses in action. (The carrier's commanding officer confirms that Eisenhower has not, however, been hit or sunk - as often claimed by Houthi leaders.) While the ship is unharmed, the regular exposure to risk has Navy leaders concerned about the need to treat possible post-traumatic stress amongst the crew, according to AP.
An F/A-18 strike fighter takes off from USS Eisenhower to bombard Houthi targets, Jan. 2024 (USN)
Beyond fatigue, Eisenhower and her escorts are subject to the same laws of nature as any ship: extended deployments take a toll on material readiness. When routine maintenance cycles are disrupted, wear and rust begin to accelerate.
"We are constantly reminding the Department of Defense that we’re going to need to take a respite and a break, to try and get back to maintenance," said Rear Adm. Marc Miguez, the strike group's off-going commander. "These ships are floating around in seawater."
The possibilities for replacing Eisenhower with another supercarrier appear limited in the immediate term, according to AP, and the Pentagon could substitute a big-deck amphibious assault vessel carrying F-35B fighters - much like the rotation for USS Gerald R. Ford last year.
On Sunday, Rear Adm. Miguez was relieved of command in a regular rotation, and he will return to Washington to serve as the Navy's chief liaison to Congress. CSG-2 is now commanded by Rear Adm. Kavon Hakimzadeh, the former commanding officer of carrier USS Harry S. Truman. In a speech, 5th Fleet commander Vice Adm. George Wikoff called the Red Sea engagement "the Navy's finest moments since World War II," and he credited Miguez for its success.
"The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has done amazing things, more than any carrier strike group dating back decades. Every man and woman out here . . . [is] delivering decisive combat power to preserve freedom of the seas," Miguez said.
In recent weeks, open-source satellite imaging suggests that Eisenhower has operated in the northern half of the sea, far from Yemeni shores. This time period overlaps with an intensified campaign of Houthi attacks on civilian shipping, resulting in one death, multiple injuries and the loss of one merchant ship.
