Italy Ready to Escort Ships Through Bab el-Mandeb Without Waiting for EU

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto

GENEVA, Sep 18: Italy is prepared to independently escort its merchant vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait rather than wait for a decision by the European Union’s Red Sea naval mission, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday.

Speaking at the Risorsa Mare Forum in La Spezia, Crosetto said he had instructed military officials to assess the security situation and prepare a plan to ensure the safe passage of Italian commercial vessels through the strategic Red Sea waterway, according to Italy’s ANSA news agency.

“Together with the chief of General Staff, we have decided not to wait for (EU Red Sea Operation) Aspides to decide whether ships can pass or not,” Crosetto said.

He said Italy was considering measures that would allow Italian ships to resume transit without waiting for European procedures, warning that prolonged disruptions to the maritime route could increase economic costs.

The Italian frigate Bergamini is currently stationed in Djibouti, while around a dozen Italian-flagged or Italian-owned merchant vessels are seeking escorted passage through the area, ANSA reported.

Italian authorities are also examining whether military assets already deployed in the region can temporarily be placed under national command or whether new parliamentary authorization would be required.

“When a sea route is interrupted, goods arrive late, costs increase, and prices for families and businesses mount,” Crosetto said.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a critical maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean, making security in the waterway important for global shipping and European trade.