The Danish shipping giant Maersk announced on Tuesday that it would not resume the passage of its fleet through a strategic strait in the Red Sea, following its suspension on Sunday after the attack by Houthi rebels against one of its ships.
“We have decided to interrupt all transits through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden until further notice,” the carrier said in a statement, adding that an investigation was underway.
On Sunday, the container ship Maersk Hangzhou reported being hit by a missile while passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and then being attacked by four Houthi rebel ships trying to board.
The American army then indicated that it had sunk three rebel ships, after attacks on a container ship of the Danish carrier Maersk. Ten rebels were killed in this strike, according to their spokesperson.
“In cases where it makes the most sense for our customers, vessels will be re-routed [par le] Cape of Good Hope,” in the very south of Africa, Maersk said.
With 12% of world trade passing through it according to the International Chamber of Shipping, the Red Sea is a “sea highway” linking the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, and therefore Europe to Asia. Around 20,000 ships pass through the Suez Canal each year, the entry and exit point for ships passing through this area.
This is the second time that the shipowner has suspended navigation in the Red Sea.
In mid-December, like other giants of global maritime transport, the Danish company stopped the passage of its ships via this major trade route, after attacks perpetrated by the Houthi rebels of Yemen.
He announced that he would resume them on December 24 only to suspend them a week later.
The Houthis, who say they stand in solidarity with Palestinian Hamas in its war against Israel in the Gaza Strip, have warned that they will target ships sailing off the coast of Yemen with links to Israel.