RIYADH — A Saudi-led maritime security coalition is moving from paper to operations after 13 countries completed the procedures required to join an alliance meant to protect some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
The Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition is designed to strengthen maritime security, keep sea lanes open and shield trade and energy routes around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabia is the founding and leading state and will host the permanent headquarters.
The alliance was announced as threats to commercial shipping in those waters continued to raise concern about supply chains, energy cargoes and traffic linking Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Saudi officials describe the mission as defensive. They say it does not target any country or group and will operate under international law while respecting national sovereignty. Planned tasks include protecting commercial ships, oil tankers and maritime infrastructure.
Command arrangements are taking shape. At a planning meeting in Jeddah, representatives from dozens of countries discussed organization and operations. Saudi Arabia will provide the coalition commander; Pakistan will supply the first deputy commander. Officials are preparing to fold personnel from member states into multinational command, maritime operations and intelligence cells.
Fifteen countries signed an initial joint statement. Thirteen have finished domestic procedures and formally joined. The founding circle has included Saudi Arabia and partners such as Türkiye, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Bangladesh, Yemen and the Comoros. Membership remains open to states that share the coalition’s aims.
Planned work includes intelligence sharing, operational planning, joint exercises, training, capacity building and coordinated patrols. Joint command, a command-and-control center, a combined maritime operations center and a secretariat are to be based in the kingdom.
For Riyadh and its partners, the goal is to harden security on waterways that carry a large share of global trade. The next test is converting the new command structure into a working multinational force while keeping members aligned as conditions in the Red Sea region continue to change.
