2023-12-27 21:21:16
Ships from the French shipowner CMA-CGM have returned to the Red Sea after attacks perpetrated by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in support of Hamas, and those from the Danish company Maersk will do the same, the two shipping giants said on Wednesday.
“Some ships have transited through the Red Sea” and “we plan to gradually increase the transit of our ships through the Suez Canal” – which connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea – indicated the CMA-CGM group in a message to its customers
Maersk is preparing for its part to “resume navigation in the Red Sea towards the east as well as towards the west”, the carrier indicated on Sunday in a press release, and the first cargo ships will use the canal “as quickly as possible”.
A multinational force set up under American leadership
Several global shipping giants announced in mid-December to suspend the passage of their ships through the Red Sea, a major trade route, after attacks perpetrated by the Houthis. Many ships had begun to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, in the very south of Africa, embarking on a circumnavigation that made the journey longer and more expensive.
The Red Sea is a “sea highway” connecting the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, and therefore Europe to Asia. Around 20,000 ships pass through the Suez Canal each year, the entry and exit point for ships passing through the Red Sea.
VIDEO. Ships targeted by Houthis in the Red Sea: “There could be an impact on prices”
In recent weeks, Yemeni rebels, close to Iran, have increased attacks near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait, which separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa. These attacks, which threaten to disrupt global maritime trade flows, have prompted the United States to establish a multinational maritime protection force in the Red Sea. This operation called “Prosperity Guardian” is “good news for the entire sector”, allowing the resumption of traffic, underlined Maersk.
However, “the overall risk in the area has not been eliminated at this stage,” specifies the Danish giant. “We are constantly monitoring the situation and we stand ready to reassess and adjust our plans if necessary,” CMA-CGM stressed.
The American army announced again on Tuesday that it had intercepted numerous drones and missiles fired by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea.
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