Commercial Ships Broadcast Messages Highlighting Their Ties to China While Transiting the Red Sea

Misbar's team at Al Araby TV has observed several commercial vessels broadcasting messages through their Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, stating that their crews or owners are Chinese while transiting the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The practice appears intended to reduce the risk of attacks by the Houthis by taking advantage of the group's apparent informal exemption for Chinese-linked interests, particularly following renewed security concerns after an unidentified military attack targeted a commercial vessel off Yemen's Hodeidah coast on Sunday.

The First Vessel: FLOURISH OCEAN

The commercial vessel FLOURISH OCEAN (IMO: 9422328), sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, broadcast a message through its AIS stating that it is "Chinese-owned and protected by armed guards" as a precaution while crossing the Red Sea.

Tracking data shows the vessel is currently sailing southbound toward the Bab al-Mandab Strait in ballast after departing Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is commercially and technically managed by Oceanic Apex, a Singapore-based company.

The Second Vessel: CUL KLANG

The container ship CUL KLANG (IMO: 9958535), sailing under the Singapore flag, also transmitted an AIS message identifying itself as "a Chinese vessel with a fully Chinese crew" in an apparent effort to avoid accidental targeting while operating in the Red Sea.

The fully laden vessel is currently transiting the southern Red Sea northbound after departing the Chinese port of Qingdao. It is wholly owned and operated by the Chinese state-owned shipping company China United Lines.

The Third Vessel: QASR

AIS data also showed the very large crude carrier QASR (IMO: 9402471) broadcasting a message stating that its crew is Chinese as a security measure while transiting the region.

The fully laden tanker, sailing under the Equatorial Guinea flag, is currently navigating the Gulf of Aden as it approaches the Bab al-Mandab Strait on a voyage that originated in Turkey. The vessel is owned by a Singapore-based investor and managed by Rui Yue Shan.

The Fourth Vessel: NAN XIN 3

The bulk carrier NAN XIN 3 (IMO: 9226994) likewise transmitted an AIS message stating that both its owner and crew are Chinese, apparently to emphasize its identity and facilitate safe passage.

The Chinese-flagged vessel, which is wholly owned by Chinese companies, is currently sailing through the Gulf of Aden toward the Bab al-Mandab Strait while fully laden. It is on a long-distance voyage that began in St. Petersburg, Russia, and is bound eastward.

The Fifth Vessel: FENG HAI 66

The container ship FENG HAI 66, sailing under the Panamanian flag, has been broadcasting the message "CHINA OWNERSHIP" while operating in the Red Sea.

Shipping data indicates that the vessel departed Jeddah on July 4. It is commercially operated by Hong Kong Haoyu and technically managed by Sino-Hellenic.

These precautionary measures come after the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Sunday that a merchant vessel had come under direct attack by armed assailants approximately 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, prompting renewed international warnings for ships operating in the area to exercise maximum caution.

These precautionary measures come after the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Sunday that a merchant vessel had come under direct attack by armed assailants approximately 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, prompting renewed international warnings for ships operating in the area to exercise maximum caution.

In April, Iran signaled that it could close both the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. threats. That was followed in early June by the Houthis' announcement of a comprehensive maritime ban on Israeli vessels and ships bound for Israeli ports, declaring them legitimate military targets.

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