Shipping majors Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have stopped their carriers from entering the Red Sea after repeated attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels. "We are deeply concerned about the highly escalated security situation in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Hapag spokesperson Nils Haupt said "some of the company’s ships were asked to pause and drift outside the strait, a narrow stretch of water that links the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea. The World Shipping Council (WSC) issued a statement saying "is deeply alarmed and concerned about the escalating security crisis unfolding in the Red Sea region. "It’s not just container freight rates that stand to gain from Red Sea disruptions.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 16, 2023 16:46 UTC