(LEAD: Maersk halts Red Sea shipments)
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants have stepped up attacks on ships in the Red Sea to show support for the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas which is fighting Israel in Gaza.
These attacks, which target a route that allows East-West trade, particularly oil, to use the Suez Canal to save the time and money needed to bypass Africa, have prompted some shipping companies to reroute their ships at the beginning of December.
Here are the companies’ reactions (in alphabetical order) to the situation in the Red Sea:
CH ROBINSON CHRW.O
The global logistics group said Dec. 22 that it had rerouted more than 25 ships around the Cape of Good Hope over the past week, and that number would likely continue to rise.
“Blank departures and fare increases are expected to continue on many traffics until the first quarter of 2024,” he added.
CMA CGM
The French shipping group plans a gradual increase in the number of ships transiting the Suez Canal, it said on December 26. “This decision is based on a thorough assessment of the security landscape and our commitment to the safety and security of our seafarers,” CMA CGM said in a statement.
The company had previously rerouted several ships via the Cape of Good Hope.
EURONAV EUAV.BR
The Belgian oil shipping company said on December 18 that it would avoid the Red Sea area until further notice.
EVERGREEN 2603.TW
Taiwan’s container shipping company said on Dec. 18 that its ships providing regional services to Red Sea ports would sail to nearby safe waters and wait for further notification, while ships scheduled to pass through the Red Sea would be redirected towards the Cape of Good Hope. The company also temporarily stopped accepting Israeli cargo.
FRONTLINE FRO.OL
The Norway-based oil group said on December 18 that its ships would avoid passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
GRAM CAR CARRIERS GCC.OL
The Norwegian shipping company, which specializes in car and truck carriers, said on December 21 that its ships could not pass through the Red Sea.
HAPAG-LLOYD HLAG.DE
The German container shipping company told Reuters on December 29 that it had decided to continue diverting its ships from the Suez Canal due to security concerns. She added that a new assessment would be made on January 2.
A projectile believed to be a drone hit one of its ships sailing near the coast of Yemen on December 15. No crew member was injured.
HMM 011200.KS
The South Korean container shipper said on December 19 that it had ordered its ships from Europe that would normally use the Suez Canal to divert via the Cape of Good Hope for an indefinite period starting on December 15. December.
HOEGH AUTOLINERS HAUTO.OL
The Norwegian shipping company said on December 20 that it would stop transiting the Red Sea () after the Norwegian maritime authority raised its alert for the southern part of the sea to the highest level.
KLAVENESS COMBINATION CARRIER KCCK.OL
The Norway-based fleet operator said on December 28 that its ships were unlikely to sail in the Red Sea unless the situation improved.
MAERSK MAERSKb.CO
The Danish shipping group said on December 31 that it was suspending all navigation in the Red Sea for 48 hours, after Houthi militants attacked the container ship Maersk Hangzhou using missiles and small boats.
On December 27, it planned for several dozen container ships to pass through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea in the coming days and weeks.
MSC
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) said on December 16 that its ships would not transit the Suez Canal, with some having already been diverted via the Cape of Good Hope, a day after two ballistic missiles were fired at its ship.
OCEAN NETWORK EXPRESS
Ocean Network Express (ONE), a joint venture of Japanese companies Mitsui OSK Lines 9104.T, Nippon Yusen 9101.T and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha 9107.T, said on December 19 that it would divert ships from the Suez Canal and of the Red Sea. Its ships will round the Cape of Good Hope or temporarily interrupt their journey to reach safe areas.
OOCL
The Hong Kong-based container shipping group said on Dec. 21 that it had asked its vessels to divert or suspend navigation to the Red Sea. The company, which is owned by Orient Overseas (International) Ltd 0316.HK, has also stopped accepting cargoes to and from Israel until further notice ().
OSK Lines 9104.T, Nippon Yusen 9101.T
Japan’s largest shipping companies said their ships with ties to Israel were avoiding the Red Sea area. Both companies also said they were monitoring the situation.
WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN WAWI.OL
The Norwegian shipping group said on December 19 that it was halting transits in the Red Sea until further notice. Rerouting ships via the Cape of Good Hope will add 1-2 weeks to journey times.
YANG MING MARINE TRANSPORT 2609.TW
The Taiwanese container shipping company said on December 18 that it would divert ships crossing the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden via the Cape of Good Hope for the next two weeks.