Singapore has said it will contribute personnel but no naval ships to the US-backed maritime security operation designed to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Members of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will largely be used in support roles at Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in Bahrain, which has been tasked with running Operation Prosperity Guardian, Singapore defence minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said.
In addition, a team from the Republic of Singapore Navy’s Information Fusion Centre (IFC), normally tasked with combating piracy in the Singapore Strait, will be deployed to support information-sharing and engagement outreach with the commercial shipping community.
Further to this effort, the French Armed Forces have invited the SAF to provide two medical personnel to serve on the FS Dixmude, now docked at the El Arish Port in Egypt. This is a reconfigured hospital ship and has been treating casualties from Gaza.
“The SAF has accepted the offer and plans are underway to deploy this medical team to aid civilian casualties there,” Dr Ng said.
There have been about 20 attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Yemen-based Houthi forces to date including one on the Singapore-flagged vessel 15,200-teu Maersk Hangzhou (built 2018) which was targeted twice, on the 30 and 31 December 2023.
Prior to the attacks, about 60 ships passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea daily, but the number has dropped by about a third in recent weeks.
“Singapore-registered ships have also been affected, with the number of daily transits through the Red Sea now approximately halved,” Dr Ng said in a statement to parliament.
The minister said it was in “Singapore’s interest” to join with the international community to protect and ensure that the [Red Sea] remained open, especially if threatened by unlawful acts by non-state actors or terrorist groups.
“The disruption of the Red Sea will have an impact on global supply chains,” Dr Ng said.
“However, based on the current situation, the immediate impact on Singapore is expected to be limited, as the majority of our critical supplies … are delivered via air freight or do not pass through the Red Sea.
“Our local manufacturers also seem to have sufficient spare inventory to hedge against supply disruptions, although they are worried about increases in business costs,” he added.
Separately, the UK said it would be bolstering its military presence in the Red Sea area with the deployment of a further naval vessel.
The frigate HMS Richmond is said to have made a low-key departure from the UK on Friday, UK defence secretary Grant Shapps told members of parliament.
The ship will stand in for HMS Diamond and HMS Lancaster when either vessel needs to break off patrols for resupply or maintenance.
HMS Diamond is assigned to Operation Prosperity Guardian, while HMS Lancaster is on a long-term mission in the Middle East, largely focused on the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, combating drug smugglers and arms traffickers.
