Recently, attacks on cargo ships have occurred frequently in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and nearby waters. Several container shipping companies have announced the suspension of all container ship navigation in the Red Sea and nearby waters.
On December 16, CMA CGM, the world's third largest container shipping company, issued a statement saying that due to increasing concerns about the security situation in the Red Sea and nearby waters, the group announced the suspension of all its container transportation through the Red Sea until further notice. In addition, Reuters reported on the 15th that Maersk, the world's largest container shipping company, has also suspended all ship sailings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, until further notice. German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd also announced on the 15th that it would suspend navigation of its container ships in the Red Sea until December 18.
Since the new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out on October 7, the Houthi armed forces in Yemen have repeatedly claimed to launch attacks on targets in Israel. The Houthi armed forces have used missiles and drones to repeatedly attack targets in the Red Sea. Since mid-November, the Houthi armed forces have expanded the scope of their attacks on Israeli targets, begun to attack "Israeli-related ships" in the Red Sea, and have continued to escalate related threats. Recently, many cargo ships have been attacked in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and nearby waters.
The Suez Canal-Red Sea, an international shipping artery, guards the transportation artery between Asia, Africa and Europe, connects the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The Bab el-Mandab Strait is located at the southern end of the Red Sea, connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It is a must-pass for ships traveling between the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, and its strategic position is very important. Analysts worry that if tensions in the Red Sea and nearby waters intensify and the shipping industry is further disrupted, the international supply chain may be affected.
