Britain warns of armed skiffs

Britain’s maritime agency has issued a fresh warning after two commercial vessels reported close approaches by small craft near the Gulf of Aden approaches to the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, said on May 22 that a products tanker inside the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor, 200 nautical miles west of Socotra, was approached by a small craft carrying five people and came within 100 meters. (ukmto.org) A day earlier, UKMTO said another tanker 98 nautical miles north of Socotra was approached by a small craft with five people onboard and that the vessel’s armed security team fired warning shots. (english.alarabiya.net) The warning adds to pressure on a route that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and carries oil, containers and bulk cargo moving toward the Suez Canal. UKMTO advised vessels to transit with caution and report suspicious activity while authorities investigate. U.S. maritime authorities said last month that commercial vessels in the southern Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden remain exposed to risks including small-arms fire from small boats, missile attacks and illegal boardings. ### What exactly did UKMTO say happened off Socotra? UKMTO said on May 22 that the master of a products tanker reported being approached by a small craft with five persons onboard, with the closest point of approach at 100 meters inside the transit corridor west of Socotra. (ukmto.org) The agency said the vessel’s armed security team was deployed and the small craft altered course away. UKMTO said on May 21 that the company security officer of another tanker reported a similar approach by a small craft with five people onboard 98 nautical miles north of Socotra. In that case, the vessel’s armed security team fired warning shots and the craft changed course, the agency said. (ukmto.org) ### Why do small-boat approaches matter to shipping companies? The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is the narrow link between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and security alerts there can affect voyage planning even when no ship is hit. The U.S. Maritime Administration said in Advisory 2026-006 that vessels with Israeli, U.S. or UK associations face heightened risk in the southern Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden, and it listed small-arms fire from small boats among the potential hostile actions. (ukmto.org) Lloyd’s List reported on May 14 that marine insurers were warning that Red Sea turmoil was exposing gaps in cargo war cover, while its May 1 traffic analysis said Bab el-Mandeb vessel traffic remained 45% below 2023 volumes. Those reports indicate that the cost of using the corridor is being shaped not only by direct attacks but also by insurance terms, routing decisions and vessel availability. ### Is this tied directly to Houthi attacks? The U.S. Maritime Administration said on April 18 that the Houthis had not attacked commercial ships since the Israel-Gaza ceasefire agreement in October 2025, but that they continued to pose a threat to U.S. assets, including commercial vessels, in the region. (maritime.dot.gov) MARAD said the group had carried out more than 100 separate attacks on commercial vessels from November 2023 to October 2025, affecting more than 60 nations. The UKMTO notices about the Socotra-area incidents did not identify the small craft as Houthi vessels or assign responsibility. (lloydslist.com) The agency said authorities were investigating. ### How are regional governments responding on trade routes? Saudi Ports Authority Mawani said on May 21 it had launched a new shipping service linking Jeddah, Salalah and Djibouti with capacity of 1,730 standard containers, according to Saudi state television cited by Reuters. Al Arabiya reported that the service was intended to strengthen maritime connectivity between the kingdom and global ports. (maritime.dot.gov) Mawani also launched the Red Sea Express service earlier that week, linking Jeddah, Yanbu, Ain Sokhna and Aqaba with capacity of 1,100 standard containers, Al Arabiya reported. (ukmto.org) The additions give shippers more fixed regional connections as security risks continue to affect route planning around the Red Sea and adjacent waters. ### What should shipping companies watch next? UKMTO said vessels in the area should continue to report suspicious activity while investigators review the latest incidents near Socotra. (english.alarabiya.net) MARAD’s current advisory for the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Somali Basin remains in force, and Saudi port operators are adding new scheduled services through Jeddah and other Red Sea gateways. (ukmto.org)