With immediate effect carriers MSC, Maersk, CMA/CGM – Hapag-Lloyd and Yang Ming have announced that they have suspended services via The Red Sea and Suez Canal for the next 14 days. It is anticipated that all carriers will follow suit due to the immediate threat from Houthi rebels. Vessels will instead sail around The Cape of Good Hope which adds around 10 to 14 days to transit times.

Please also note that roll-on/roll-off services will also be affected and Zim, has already, last week indicated they will not be using the Rea Sea/Suez Canal routing until further notice. Again, we do expect other carriers to follow suit and we will advise further as the situation develops.

The lines have told customers:

“We are monitoring the situation constantly and retrieving all available intelligence on the security situation in the area. We expect to share more information about any next steps for these paused vessels within the next few days.

“Ensuring the safety of our employees is of the utmost importance and our number one priority in handling this challenging situation. We are also committed to ensuring the stability of our customers’ supply chains, and we are working closely with our logistics teams and taking the necessary steps to minimise the impact on customers.

“We understand the potential impact this will have on your supply chain, but please rest assured that all decisions have been carefully considered by our teams and only implemented to ensure the safety of our vessels, crew and your cargo.”

The move follows the news that Houthi rebels set a Hapag-Lloyd containership ablaze during a series of missile attacks against box ships crossing the Red Sea in the early hours today.

A US defence official told the media that repeated strikes on the port side of the 14,993 teu Al Jasrah led to a container going overboard and fire breaking out on deck. No casualties have been reported.

A few hours earlier, the 10,100 teu Maersk Gibraltar survived a near miss after being targeted by a missile close to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

The Danish shipping line said:

“The recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Bad-al-Mandab Strait are extremely concerning. The current situation puts seafarers’ lives at risk and is unsustainable for global trade.

“As it cannot be solved by the global shipping industry on its own, we call on political action to ensure a swift de-escalation.”

Following the incidents the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) unit said it was investigating the reports and warned vessels in the area to “transit with caution and report any suspicious activity” to the maritime body.

The UKMTO issued a separate alert concerning the potential hijacking of a vessel 680 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia – although scant details were available.

Since the onset of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, the number of commercial vessels coming under attack by Iranian-backed proxies has increased. Xeneta’s chief analyst, Peter Sand, warned that continued attacks could precipitate a “global supply chain crisis”.

He said:

“We are already seeing ocean freight liner and Roro operators and owners choosing to reroute vessels away from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region. Due to the importance of the Suez Canal to global supply chains, even a small disruption can have big consequences.

“The main alternative is to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, which adds up to 10 days sailing time for services from Asia to North Europe and the East Mediterranean.”

Carry Cargo fully support the safety and wellbeing of all the ship’s crews. This must be the ultimate priority and we also understand the significant threat this poses. If you have any concerns about this developing situation. Please contact your local Carry Cargo Account Manager for further information.

We wish all our customers here in the UK and especially overseas a Safe and Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.