The European Union is preparing to participate in the American initiative in the Red Sea

The European Union is preparing to participate in the American initiative to secure commercial shipping in the Red Sea. According to information received from the German News Agency, European Union Foreign Policy Coordinator Josep Borrell presented a concrete proposal on how to expand the mandate of the current anti-piracy operation “Atalanta”. It is currently under study by the 27 member states of the European Union and should be formalized as soon as possible.

At an EU meeting yesterday, according to diplomats, only Spain expressed reservations about changing the mandate. It is hoped in Brussels that the internal political differences in Madrid will be resolved quickly.

Operation Prosperity Sentinel, launched by the United States, aims to significantly increase the international military presence in the Red Sea. The background is that Iran-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked ships there to prevent them from passing to Israel. The Houthis' goal is to stop Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Protests in Yemen

In Yemen, thousands of people took to the streets to protest the US-led military coalition. The Houthi-controlled Saba News Agency published many news stories about the demonstrations that took place in major cities in northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

A military spokesman published photos of large gatherings of people in Sanaa. At the same time, a statement issued by the Houthis warned countries against joining the American coalition. We will respond to every act of aggression.

Hapag-Lloyd announces additional fees for the Middle East region

Meanwhile, Germany's largest container shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd, announced additional fees for transportation on board its ships to and from the Middle East. According to a statement on the company’s website today, these are seasonal additional fees starting from January 1 for flights from Asia and Oceania to the Red Sea region.

Depending on the route and size of the container, surcharges range between $250 and $1,000 (about 230 to 910 euros) per container. The Danish shipping company Maersk had previously announced additional transportation fees for containers. The French company CMA CGM also operates similarly.