WAM
16 Feb 2025, 16:04 GMT+10
BRUSSELS, 16th February, 2025 (WAM) -- The European Council has decided to extend the mandate of the EU maritime security operation, EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, until 28th February 2026. The extension follows a strategic review of the mission and includes a reference budget of over 17 million for the period.
In addition to ensuring maritime security, Operation ASPIDES will now collect information on arms trafficking and shadow fleets in the region. This data will be shared with EU member states, the European Commission, and international organisations such as the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES was launched in February 2024 to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf.
It provides a defensive naval presence in response to ongoing threats to international commercial vessels in the region.
The operation operates along key sea routes, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, and international waters in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Gulf.
Since October 2023, multiple Houthi attacks have targeted international shipping, heightening security concerns.
Operation ASPIDES is headquartered in Larissa, Greece, under the command of Commodore Vasileios Gryparis.
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