Houthi attacks in the Red Sea force international shipping companies to continue circumnavigating the African coast
The world's major shipping companies are avoiding sailing through the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, which is the access point to the Red Sea and, therefore, to the Suez Canal, which allows direct access to the Mediterranean Sea without having to go around the African continent.
Attacks by the Houthis on vessels on the high seas, as a way of showing their solidarity with Hamas, are seriously damaging international trade, as the routes being adopted by shipping companies are longer and therefore more costly.
Uncertainty in the Red Sea
The initiative not to return to the Red Sea route yet has come from the Danish shipping company Maersk, whose spokespeople have pointed out that the Houthi attacks on ships and oil tankers have created a long-term security problem that will take time to resolve.
International shipping companies do not want to jeopardise the safety of their crews and the interests of their clients by exposing themselves to attacks from an undisciplined ideological group such as the Houthis, who are known to bow to Iranian policies and interests.
Maersk has therefore announced that it will continue to send its ships through the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of the African continent, until the safety of transport through the Red Sea can be guaranteed. In the words of Vincent Clerc, CEO of the Danish shipping company: ‘There will be no imminent return of our ships to the Red Sea due to the uncertainty’.
Houthi attacks
According to figures provided by the French Centre of Expertise for Maritime Security, the number of projectiles fired by the Houthis at commercial ships has exceeded 700, including missiles and drones. In addition, the Centre had recommended that shipping companies exercise caution and not sail in the Red Sea area, even if the Houthis had stopped attacking ships.
It should be remembered that, in August 2024, the MV Sounion, which was carrying a million barrels of crude oil, was attacked and sabotaged with explosives by the Houthis as part of their campaign of solidarity with Hamas over the Gaza war. This vessel was rescued in January this year, after months of attempts to tow it, extinguish the fires and offload the remaining crude oil.
Since the beginning of the war in Gaza in 2023, the rebels have attacked at least 100 merchant ships with missiles and drones. According to Euronews, the Houthis claim to be attacking ships linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom in order to press for an end to the Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
According to the same source, many of the ships have little or no connection with the conflict, and some are even bound for Iran. It is also estimated that the number of attacks on ships on the high seas has decreased since the end of December 2024.
Consequences of the decision
For the countries in the region, the shipping companies' decision affects their financial income, which has decreased since the Houthis began their attacks after the outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The situation is particularly serious for Egypt, which was hoping that the Houthi attacks would calm down and that shipping activity through the Suez Canal would return.
For the Houthis themselves, this decision also has consequences, as they will remain under international observation, since the problem they have generated is causing serious disruptions to international trade.
In fact, the Houthis are already feeling the repercussions of their actions at an international level, which are not benefitting the Iranian axis to which they belong. For example, the United States has once again included the Houthi group on the list of foreign terrorist organisations, an indication of the policy that the Donald Trump administration is going to follow, as he is known for his firm stance against Iran and its weapons in the region.
The truth is that shipping companies still prefer to have to face additional expenses rather than putting their ships and crews at risk and exposing themselves to possible damage caused by the Houthis, which would place significant burdens on insurance companies due to compensation for those affected.