Oil Tankers Halt Passage in the Red Sea

Hafnia Shipping announced on Friday that it "has decided to immediately halt all ships heading toward or near the Bab al-Mandab Strait." Hafnia's statement noted that "the decision was made following advice from the Combined Maritime Forces to stay away from the area after U.S. and British airstrikes against the Houthi group in Yemen." Stena Bulk's CEO, Erik Hanell, told Reuters that "the company stopped passage in the Red Sea early on Friday Central European Time." This makes it the latest shipping company to halt passage in this crucial shipping lane following guidance from the Combined Maritime Forces due to the U.S. and British airstrikes on Houthi forces in Yemen.