Houthi attack disrupts Red Sea shipping
SANAA: Some container ships are anchored in the Red Sea and others have turned off tracking systems as traders adjust routes and prices in response to maritime attacks by Yemen’s Iranaligned Houthis on the world’s main eastwest trade route.
Attacks in recent days on ships in the major Red Sea shipping route have raised the spectre of another bout of disruption to international commerce following the upheaval of the Covid pandemic, and prompted a United Statesled international force to patrol waters near Yemen.
The Red Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal, which creates the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia.
About 12% of world shipping traffic transits the canal.
Major shippers including Hapag Lloyd, MSC and Maersk, oil major BP and oil tanker group Frontline have said they would be avoiding the Red Sea route and rerouting via southern Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
But many ships are still plying the waterway.
Several ships under way have armed guards on board, LSEG data showed.
At least 11 container ships which had passed through Suez and were approaching Yemen carrying consumer goods and grains bound for countries including Singapore, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, were now anchored in the Red Sea between Sudan and Saudi Arabia, LSEG shiptracking data showed.
Four MSC container ships in the Red Sea have had their transponders turned off since Dec. 17, the data showed, likely to avoid detection.
Some vessels are attempting to mask their positions by pinging on other locations, as a safety precaution when entering the Yemen coastline, ortexa senior freight analyst Ioannis Papadimitriou said.
The Iranbacked Houthis, who say they are supporting Palestinians under siege by Israel in the Gaza Strip, have waded into the IsraelHamas conflict by attacking vessels in vital shipping lanes and even firing drones and missiles at Israel, more than 1600km from the Yemeni capital Sanaa.
Houthis attacked two commercial shipping vessels in the southern Red Sea yesterday, the group said.
The Houthis say they have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea with links to Israel, and have warned against sailing towards the area.
US officials told Reuters multiple projectiles had been launched from Houthicontrolled territory in Yemen.
Industry sources said the impact on global trade would depend on how long the crisis persists, but insurance premiums and longer routes would be immediate burdens.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin yesterday announced the creation of a multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea.
Austin, who is on a trip to Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s headquarters in the Middle East, said participating countries included the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.
He said they would conduct joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.