Members will note that at 23.30 UTC on 11 January 2024, US and UK military forces struck Houthi military targets ashore in Yemen, in response to ongoing attacks against merchant shipping in the Southern Red Sea. Consequently, US Naval Forces Central Command Bahrain (NAVCENT) has advised shipping that there is a high degree of threat/risk to transits through the Red Sea, specifically in the areas from 12 to 16 degrees North and West of 46 degrees East in the Southern Red Sea and Bab al Mandab Strait, and therefore vessels should take an operational pause for at least the next 48-72 hours. It is further advised that ships that do continue to transit with AIS turned off should provide position reports to NAVCENT every 2-3 hours. Members are requested to note this information and to circulate it as appropriate.

Furthermore, members are invited to consider the most recent Risk Intelligence Red Sea Security Threat Update, provided at Annex A.

Members may precis the report or use extracts from it to help

In accordance with the scope of the agreement between ICS and Risk Intelligence, members are requested not to circulate the advice members on key issues or to assist in enquiries.

MC(24)06 -Annex A – 2024-01-12 Risk Intelligence – Security Threat Update Red Sea

In such cases, Risk Intelligence should be acknowledged as the source of the information.