Shipping giant Maersk said on Friday it would no longer use the Red Sea and Suez Canal “for the time being” and would divert all ships around Africa following attacks on commercial ships by Yemeni rebels.
Danish companies cited a highly volatile situation and noted that security risks remain high.
“We have therefore decided that all Maersk vessels scheduled to transit the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden will be diverted south around the Cape of Good Hope for the time being,” the company said in a statement.
Houthi attack on Red Sea: Retailers warn of shortages and price rises as imports slow https://t.co/Wb2q6NMIjS
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 5, 2024
On Tuesday, the shipping giant announced it would not resume sailing the route “until further notice” after suspending it following the attack on Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou.
On Sunday, a Danish-owned and operated container ship heading from Singapore to Egypt's Port Suez reported being hit by a missile while transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The ship was then attacked by four ships operated by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, and “fire was fired in anticipation of boarding the ship,” a Danish shipping company said in a statement.
According to the U.S. military, Navy helicopters sank three of the ships and the fourth escaped.
Since November 18, 25 commercial ships sailing in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have been attacked.
Progress against inflation could be undermined by Houthi attack on cargo shiphttps://t.co/3IU9rHzGBz
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 26, 2023
On Wednesday, 12 US-led countries jointly called on Yemen's Houthi rebels to “immediately end these unlawful attacks and release illegally detained vessels and crews,” while warning them of “consequences.” did.
According to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), 12% of world trade passes through the Red Sea, making it a “vital waterway” connecting the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans, as well as Europe and Asia.
Approximately 20,000 ships pass through the Suez Canal each year, and it serves as a gateway for ships entering and leaving the area.
This is the second time Maersk has suspended shipments through the Strait.
In mid-December, the Danish company, along with other global shipping giants, suspended its vessels on the route following attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.
The company announced that it would resume shipping on December 24th, but stopped shipping again a week later on December 31st.
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted ships in the vital Red Sea shipping lanes.
They said the attack was in solidarity with Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip, which Israel has been relentlessly shelling for three months in an operation to annihilate the militant group Hamas. There is.
For Western countries dependent on imports, costs will rise as long as the Houthis continue to close the Red Sea. https://t.co/jaKab0GdSJ
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 21, 2023
