After all voyages through the affected area were initially suspended for 48 hours from this Sunday until yesterday, the shipping company Maersk has now decided to pause all freight traffic through the sea and the Gulf of Aden until further notice. In cases where it makes the most sense for customers, ships will be rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.
Several merchant ships have been attacked in the Red Sea in recent weeks. This Saturday evening, one ship was attacked and was initially able to continue on its course, but was later approached again by four boats, which opened fire and attempted to board the cargo ship. With the help of a military helicopter and the ship’s security team, the attack was successfully repelled.
As reported, several large shipping companies are now avoiding the route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The Red Sea is one of the most important shipping routes for global trade, as it connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal in Egypt.