In brief
After Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, shipping companies are diverting their routes around Africa's southern tip. This route is significantly longer and has led to increased transport costs, reminiscent of a time before the Suez Canal.
Capt. Tobias Kammann, who operates the freighter Hanoi Express, has seen a dramatic change in shipping routes due to increased Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Once, only a rare journey took him around the southern tip of Africa, but now it's crowded with vessels seeking safer passage. The Suez Canal has been largely inaccessible over the past year, forcing ships to take a longer journey of around 10 days and 3,500 nautical miles. The situation escalated when Houthi rebels began targeting maritime traffic, claiming their actions were responses to the conflict in Gaza. Despite the presence of Western naval forces aimed at protecting shipping routes, attacks have persisted, leaving commercial shipping companies to rethink their routes. Experts note that this situation is one of the biggest challenges for the shipping industry in years, transporting it back to the era before the canal's opening in 1869.The ramifications of these attacks are vast, leading to increased shipping costs and delays, paralleling historical events when maritime trade was significantly hampered. As the conflict continues, the situation remains volatile, and the future of established shipping routes hangs in the balance.
