Maersk, the Danish shipping giant, has announced a redirection of all its vessels away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal for the foreseeable future due to heightened security concerns.
This is as per reports, which added the decision follows an attack on the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou by Yemeni rebels while transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The company cited the volatile situation and persistent security risks in the region as reasons for the diversion.
The incident occurred as the vessel was en route from Singapore to Port Suez in Egypt.
It reported being struck by a missile and subsequently attacked by four ships operated by Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels.
The US military intervened, sinking three of the rebel-operated ships, while the fourth fled.
This recent development underscores escalating tensions in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where 25 commercial vessels have been attacked since 18th November. Twelve nations, led by the United States, have jointly called for an immediate end to these attacks, emphasizing the importance of the Red Sea as a crucial waterway for global trade.
