The Suez Canal route, through which 10% of the world’s goods transit, is once again compromised just over two years after the Ever Given episode, the ship that paralyzed global maritime transport for six days. get stuck between the locks.
The four large Western cargo operators have decided to suspend their activity in the Red Sea and, with it, in the Suez Canal due to security problems following attacks by Houthi militias on their merchant ships in response to the Gaza war. . The tension does not cease and yesterday American and British destroyers shot down several attack drones that were targeting Western ships.
The world’s first operator, MSC, based in Switzerland, and the third, CMA CGM, separately announced yesterday the temporary suspension of navigation in the area. They joined the Danish Maersk, the second largest group, and the German Hapag-Lloyd, fifth in the classification, who decided to make a similar decision on Friday. The Chinese company Cosco, whose ships have not been threatened, is the only major company now operating in the area.
The Houthis claim that the attacks target ships en route to Israel, but two of the four affected ships were destined for Saudi Arabia. According to information from the companies and the companies themselves, two MSC vessels, one from Hapag-Lloyd and one from Maersk that were not reached have been affected in recent days. A few days ago there was also an attack on an oil tanker.
The Suez Canal manages the transit of 1,207 million tons per year, about half of them merchandise and another significant percentage of hydrocarbons, according to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA). Egyptian infrastructure brings in close to 8.6 billion euros a year and is key, above all, for trade between Europe and Asia. An average of 51 ships pass through it a day.
Operators must provisionally use the Cape of Good Hope route, which increases transport costs and prolongs transfers between seven and ten days, at a particularly sensitive time due to the proximity of Christmas. In recent days, in the face of growing insecurity, the managers of the Suez Canal had lowered passage rates by between 15% and 20% to prevent shipping companies from taking the alternative route.
The experts consulted highlight the importance of the Suez Canal for Europe and the somewhat more limited impact for the rest of the world. The first consequence will be delays in deliveries, although facing the Christmas campaign many businesses are already supplied and there should not be a significant disruption. The big fear now is that Iran could block the Strait of Hormuz, through which most of the world’s oil and gas tankers pass, which would have unpredictable consequences.
Yesterday the US command in the region reported that its destroyer Carney, which has a missile interception system, shot down 14 drones on Saturday morning. British Defense Minister Grant Shaps also announced that the destroyer HMS Diamond had hit “a drone presumably heading towards merchant ships in the Red Sea.” He warned that the wave of attacks represents “a direct threat to international trade and maritime security.”
Meanwhile, freight operators offered details about the measures adopted and the attacks suffered. “The situation is deteriorating by the moment and security concerns are increasing,” he said in a statement CMA CGM, alluding to the problems on this route, that of Bab el Mandeb.
MSC confirmed yesterday in a statement that two of its ships were attacked on Friday in the Red Sea and explained that the incident has not caused any injuries, although it has caused a “limited fire” that left the cargo ship out of service. “Until passage of the Red Sea is safe, MSC ships will not transit the Suez Canal,” she said.
Maersk announced on Friday that, following the “near miss” of its ship Maersk Gibraltar a day earlier, it would halt operations until further notice, as would Hapag-Lloyd.
