EU looks to expand naval mission for Strait of Hormuz shipping security

LIMASSOL (AP): The European Union says keeping commercial vessels moving safely through the Strait of Hormuz after the Iran war will take a larger naval presence, with more European ships likely needed and an existing EU mission potentially widened.

The bloc’s Red Sea operation, known as Aspides, a Greek word meaning “shield”, currently has three ships assigned to defend merchant traffic from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The Strait of Hormuz, located at the southern end of the Red Sea, had carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas before the war.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas spoke after foreign ministers from member states met, saying Aspides’ operating plan may have to be adjusted based on what is required. That could include specialist vessels able to remove mines from the strait.

“But it mostly needs more ships,” Kallas said. She added that one more vessel is set to be added to Aspides, but gave no other information.

The EU had already renewed the mission earlier this year, extending its mandate through the end of February 2027 and approving an extra €15 million, or US$17.5 million, for the operation.

France and the United Kingdom are also weighing a separate naval arrangement to accompany vessels through the Strait of Hormuz once fighting stops.

An EU official said talks are under way on whether Operation Aspides could be combined with the proposed Franco-British force. However, major questions remain, including who would command or authorise such a joint mission. The official requested anonymity because he was not cleared to discuss the negotiations publicly.

Shipping became more expensive after the Iran war started on February 28, as insurers raised premiums sharply. The same EU official said those charges are not expected to ease for at least a year after the fighting ends, and that routing ships around Africa is now cheaper than sending them through the Red Sea.

He said officials are looking at whether state guarantees could be offered to shipping firms in an effort to bring down insurance costs.