My job as Ship Security Officer used to be pretty straightforward. We'd drill for pirates in the High-Risk Area, practice citadel procedures, and keep a sharp lookout. Our Ship Security Plan was robust, but the threats were things we could mostly see coming—a fast skiff on the horizon, a suspicious approach.

That's not the world we're sailing in today. Especially not near the Red Sea and Black Sea.

The game has completely changed. We're not just looking for pirates wanting ransom anymore. The threat now comes from the sky and moves at the speed of sound and fastest. We’re talking military-grade stuff:

1. Drones (UAVs): Hard to spot on radar, silent until they're almost on top of you.
2. Anti-ship Missiles: This isn't a scenario we drilled for five years ago. There's no outrunning it. Your only defence is hoping the coalition warships nearby can intercept it.

Every transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is now a high-stakes run. The tension on the bridge is something you can feel. Every blip on the radar, every VHF call from a naval vessel puts the entire crew on edge. My job is to keep everyone focused, to run the drills, and to make sure our security measures are as hardened as they can be. We double the watches, we limit deck access, and we make sure the path to the citadel is clear for immediate lockdown.

But the best plan is avoiding the threat entirely.

That's why you're hearing about us taking the "long way round." The company decided to reroute us around the Cape of Good Hope. The folks in the office see the extra fuel costs and the 14-day delay in the schedule.

Here on board, we see it differently. It means two more weeks of fatigue. Two more weeks away from our families. But it's also two weeks we're not holding our breath waiting for an attack alert. It's a trade-off between risk and time, and right now, every seafarer out here is grateful to be taking the safer route.

We are merchant mariners. We're here to move the world's goods, not to be targets in a conflict. The crew's professionalism under this pressure is incredible, but nobody should have to work like this.

To all the other crews out there, stay vigilant. Trust your training and watch out for one another.

Fair winds and safe passage.