Skip to main content

Maersk says impact from Red Sea attacks continues to intensify

1 min Mena Today

The negative impact on maritime shipping and global supply chains from attacks in the Red Sea continues to intensify as traffic is rerouted away from the Suez Canal, Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Thursday.

Attacks in the Red Sea by Iran-aligned Houthi militants have disrupted a route vital to east-west trade © Mena Today 

Attacks in the Red Sea by Iran-aligned Houthi militants have disrupted a route vital to east-west trade © Mena Today 

The negative impact on maritime shipping and global supply chains from attacks in the Red Sea continues to intensify as traffic is rerouted away from the Suez Canal, Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Thursday.

Attacks in the Red Sea by Iran-aligned Houthi militants have disrupted a route vital to east-west trade, with prolonged rerouting of shipments, pushing freight rates higher and causing congestion in Asian and European ports.

Maersk said recent data showed that the number of ships crossing through the canal has fallen 66% since carriers began diverting their vessels around Africa. Maersk did not elaborate on the data.

"These disruptions have led to service reconfigurations and volume shifts, straining infrastructure and resulting in port congestion, delays, and shortages in capacity and equipment," it added.

Maersk in July said disruption to its container shipping via the Red Sea had extended beyond trade routes between the Far East and Europe to its entire global network, and warned of a "cascading impact" causing congestion.

"The timeline for easing these disruptions and returning to 'normal' remains uncertain," it said on Thursday.

It added that demand for container shipping remains robust.

Reporting by Anna Ringstrom and Stine Jacobsen

Related

Egypt

Drone attack hits Egypt's Mediterranean energy hub

A drone hit a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday, citing an initial assessment of the incident.

Iraq

The Iran-backed groups shaping Iraq

The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have struck Iran-backed Shi'ite armed groups in Iraq, which the allies said were responsible for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

Iraq

US and Saudi Arabia launch strikes on Iran's Iraq allies

The United States launched on Wednesday its first airstrikes in the Middle East since suspending its bombing campaign last week, hitting Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq jointly with Saudi Arabia, while Tehran spurned an Omani plan to manage the Strait of Hormuz.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.