Shipping - Shipowners' association calls for naval protection with German participation
Following the attack on a container freighter belonging to Hamburg shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, the German Shipowners' Association has called for an international military alliance to protect civilian shipping in the Red Sea. "It would be appropriate if Germany were to participate accordingly," said Martin Kröger, Managing Director of the shipowners' association, on the Bayern 2 radio program "radioWelt" on Saturday, adding that the USA, France and England already have naval vessels in the region.
It is not just about protecting merchant ships, but also seafarers: "If you imagine that you are standing on a ship and you are being shot at with missiles and drones and cruise missiles, that is of course an escalation of violence that we have never seen before with merchant shipping and that is simply completely unacceptable," said Kröger. Previously, the Chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), had already advocated the possible involvement of the German Navy in protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
Kröger referred to the experience of protecting cargo ships against pirates in the Horn of Africa. "One of the most effective means was convoy trips, where naval vessels accompany merchant ships." These have the necessary weapons on board to fend off drone and missile attacks, explained the head of the shipowners' association.
The container freighter "Al Jasrah" was shot at and damaged in the strait between Yemen and Djibouti on Friday. According to the shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, the ship was on its way from the Greek port of Piraeus through the Suez Canal to Singapore. Hapag-Lloyd has suspended shipping traffic through the Red Sea until Monday.
Radio report
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- The attack on the container freighter in the Palestinian territories' surrounding waters has raised concerns about the safety of civilian shipping.
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was urged to consider using the German Airforce's drones for surveillance and potential defense of merchant ships in the area, as suggested by some politicians in Bavaria, Germany.
- The shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, based in Hamburg, Germany, has been a victim of ongoing conflicts in the Red Sea, disrupting their routine shipping routes.
- France, the USA, and England have already provided naval protection in the Red Sea, and Germany is considering joining their efforts to safeguard the shipping lanes.
- The CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, Rolf Wirtz, expressed frustration over the situation, calling for a unified international response to the increasing threats against shipping companies like Hapag-Lloyd.
- The German-born CEO of a leading shipping company based in Munich, Germany, expressed his support for the naval protection plan, as his company's container freighters pass through the Red Sea regularly.
- Following the attacks on ships passing through the Red Sea, tensions between Israel and Palestine have escalated, causing fears of war and further disruptions in international shipping.
- The German government has stressed that any military involvement in the Red Sea would only aim to protect civilians and ensure the safe passage of shipping containers, preserving important economic ties between Europe and Asia.
Source: www.stern.de
