Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy has announced the deployment of the salvage tug Giant to the Red Sea to support and protect Greek-owned vessels from recent Houthi rebel attacks.
The decision follows the sinking of two Liberia-flagged, Greek‑operated cargo ships, Magic Seas and Eternity C, off the coast of Yemen after repeated strikes by the Iran‑aligned militant group.
Those strikes marked a resumption of Houthi maritime attacks, which targeted more than 100 vessels between November 2023 and December 2024 in a campaign the group said was in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
During a tour of Giant, Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias stated that the vessel provided by the Hellenic Association of Tugboat Owners would “support, protect and assist Greek‑owned vessels and Greek seafarers.”
The tug is crewed by 14 experienced Greek sailors and powered by four engines delivering 16 000 horsepower, enabling operation in severe weather.
Certified by an IACS-recognized classification society, it is equipped for rescue, firefighting, towing, anti‑pollution operations and onboard emergency care.
It features rescue zones, accommodations for up to 40 people, facilities for medical treatment and helicopter support, and can pump 7 200 cubic metres of water per hour for firefighting, as well as provide emergency power to disabled ships.
Hellenic Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy is the governmental body responsible for maritime transport regulation, safety and national shipping interests in Greece. It oversees merchant fleet policy, port operations and maritime emergency response coordination.
Hellenic Association of Tugboat Owners is a trade association representing Greek tug, salvage and offshore support vessel operators. Legally constituted as an association under Greek maritime law, it coordinates among member companies on marine rescue, towing and pollution response operations, and collaborates with state authorities on national-level deployment of privately‑owned vessels.