Houthi attacks in the Red Sea impact vital trade routes

Yemen’s Houthis have continued to impact vital trade routes in the Red Sea, forcing shipping companies to re-route. 

The attacks have affected a route vital to East-West trade, especially of oil, as ships access the Suez Canal via the Red Sea, according to Reuters.

In response, some shipping companies have instructed vessels to instead sail around southern Africa, a slower and therefore more expensive route.

The Danish shipping group said on 31 December it was pausing all sailing through the Red Sea for 48 hours after Houthis attacked the Maersk Hangzhou container vessel.

A South Korean container shipper said on 19 December it had also ordered its ships which would normally use the Suez Canal to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope.

Similar container shipping lines have also taken the decision to avoid the Red Sea.