Global shipping firms are gradually resuming operations in the Red Sea, following a brief suspension of transport caused by recurring attacks from Yemen’s Houthi militant group. French shipping giant CMA CGM is the latest firm to restart its Red Sea operations, it announced in a press release on 26 December. “We are currently devising plans for the gradual increase in the number of vessels transiting through the Suez Canal,” the statement said. This comes a few days after Danish shipping firm AP Moller-Maersk announced plans to resume operations, citing a US-led naval coalition deployed to ensure the safety passage of vessels across the sea. Meanwhile, German maritime company Hapag-Lloyd is expected to announce their forthcoming plans by today, 27 December, as indicated by a company source interviewed by Reuters. THE RISK PERSISTS Major shipping firms had halted Red Sea routes last week when Houthi troops began targeting vessels commercially linked with Israel, causing a global trade disruption through the Suez Canal. Despite the United States’ assurances on 19 December to safeguard global sea trade, the threat of Houthi attacks on vessels persists, evidenced most recently by a targeted attack on…
Shipping Giants Resume Red Sea Operations, But Houthi Risk Remains
December 27, 2023
