Fang Jinxing, a 22-year-old sailor on a Chinese escort ship, said his memories of the Gulf of Aden will be dominated by the experience of watching dolphins at play.

"Sometimes there were hundreds of them, jumping and curving over the surface of the water. It was like a big show, except it only lasted for few seconds," he said. "I've seen plenty of turtles and seals too, but the dolphins are my favorites."

Living alongside more than 200 sailors and officers on an escort ship means space is at a premium. You can hardly stretch your arm without touching something, said Fang. He shares a small cabin with five other members of the crew. If you want fresh air, you have to climb out of the sardine-can cabin and get out onto the upper deck, which is usually covered with yellow dust blown in from the deserts on shore.