Danish transport company Maersk to resume shipping via Red Sea
Danish shipping company Maersk has announced its decision to resume shipping through the Red Sea, following the launch of military operations to protect the ships from Houthi attacks.
The Red Sea is one of the most important sea routes for transporting oil, natural gas, and consumer goods, bordered by the Yemen coast and the Suez Canal.
Since the beginning of the Hamas-Israel war, Houthi rebels in Yemen started attacking the route, claiming that shipments are headed for Israel, using rockets and drones.
Due to the fear of disruption, many shipping companies, including Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and Maersk, decided to take an alternative route around the Cape of Good Hope. This new route adds around 3,500 nautical miles to the transit journey, making it more expensive.
To protect the ships, the US launched an international naval operation called Operation Prosperity Guardian.
Maersk stated that it is working on plans for the first vessels to make the transit. However, it emphasizes that it will not hesitate to re-evaluate the situation and initiate diversion plans again if deemed necessary for the safety of its seafarers.
Meanwhile, Hapag-Lloyd mentioned that it would reassess the Red Sea situation before making any final decisions.
On Wednesday, the US military announced that it had shot down more than 12 drone missiles launched by Houthis. Following this, oil prices fell by 3%.
