Aside from re-routing around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid Houthi attack risk in the southern Red Sea, the question is: what else can maritime vessel owners and charterers do?
Some have opted to seek ‘clearance’ to transit the Red Sea from the Houthis, who established their ‘Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center’ (HOCC) in February 2024.
The HOCC issues warnings to Israeli-linked vessels, and can provide ‘guidance’ to companies wishing to transit safely.
However, there is of course no guarantee of safety, and while some vessels have reportedly avoided attacks by complying with Houthi-issued warnings or avoiding Israeli-linked ports, this method of seeking ‘clearance’ has its legal and practical complexities.
- Read the full article by Richard Neylon, partner at HFW law and IUMI professional partner, in the ‘Knowledge Library’.
