BRUSSELS, June 18 (Reuters) – Germany is deploying two ships to the Red Sea in preparation for a possible military mission in the Strait of Hormuz, Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, said on Thursday.
Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a deal with Iran to end a war that has disrupted global energy supplies, shipping and insurance industry officials called for the urgent deployment of mine-clearing vessels to the strait.
“As we speak, our minesweeper Fulda and the supply ship Mosel are sailing through the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea,” Pistorius told reporters as he arrived for a meeting with his NATO counterparts in Brussels.
Pistorius, who did not give a timeframe, said approval would be needed from Iran and Oman before any participation in a minesweeping operation, adding that any mission would also depend on the developments in talks between Iran and the United States.
Ensuring the strait is cleared of mines could delay a return to normal shipping traffic by weeks, shipping and maritime security sources have told Reuters.
Germany is also sending underwater drones, mine divers and vessel protection teams.
While France and Britain have been pushing plans for a multinational naval mission, diplomats say Iran has signalled strong opposition to any foreign military presence in the waterway and could seek to impose transit fees on shipping — a red line for European powers.
Greek government officials have said that Athens stands ready to send assets to support de-mining efforts but government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said on Thursday there had been no concrete decision at an operational level.
Sheila Cameron, CEO of the Lloyd’s Market Association, said the threat of mines remained a significant barrier to the resumption of trade in the region.
“Ongoing monitoring of the seaways is required to provide reassurance and confidence to shipowners and their crew,” said Cameron, whose association represents the interests of all underwriting businesses in the Lloyd’s of London insurance market.
Jakob Larsen, chief safety & security officer with shipping association BIMCO, said credible assurances from both sides of the conflict must be given before traffic can fully return to pre-conflict levels.
“The threat of mines in the area remains a concern immediately as well as further down the line, and mine-free routes need to be established.”
(Reporting by Bart Meijer, Renee Maltezou, Jonathan Saul and Sabine Siebold, editing by Kirsten Donovan)
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