Maersk to pause all transits through Red Sea

Maersk had decided to pause all transits through the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden until further notice.

This follows the December 30 incident involving Maersk vessel - Hangzhou, which was attacked by Houthi-led attacks on the Red Sea.

Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, on December 25 said it was preparing to resume its ships’ passage through the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden. This follows the setting up of the multi-national security initiative Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) to allow maritime ships pass through the critical Red Sea/Gulf of Aden that connects Asia with Europe and the US.

• Also Read: Maersk set to resume Red Sea passage with ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ deployment 

US-led security initiative

The OPG is a US-led military operation by a predominantly Western multi-national coalition formed a few days ago to respond to Houthi-led attacks on shipping lines on the Red Sea.

The recent security situation around the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden has seen Maersk and other carriers pause, adjust and divert services away from the area in the interest of safety. The ships were diverted via the Cape of Good Hope in the southern tip of Africa. The transit time for ships nearly doubled and this, in turn led to an increase in freight cost.

In a trade notice, Maersk said an investigation into the incident is ongoing and it will continue to pause all cargo movement through the area while we further assess the constantly evolving situation.

In cases where it makes most sense for our customers, vessels will be rerouted and continue their journey around the Cape of Good Hope.

“The decision has been taken to assure the safety of our seafarers and cargo on our vessels, which is our utmost priority,” the shipping major said.

The Red Sea is critical for the maritime trade providing the vital movement of goods between Asia and Europe. The canal handles nearly 12 per cent of global trade.

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