The Houthi movement in Yemen has intensified its attacks on ships in the Red Sea to show its support for the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas," which is engaged in combat with Israel in Gaza. The attacks target a route that facilitates trade between the East and West, particularly oil trade, allowing for quicker and cheaper passage than circumnavigating the African continent. As a result of these attacks, some shipping companies changed their vessels' routes earlier in December to avoid the area. However, the deployment of a U.S.-led military operation encouraged other companies to continue passing through the region. Below are the responses from various companies regarding the situation in the Red Sea:
**C.H. Robinson**
The global logistics group announced on December 22 that it had altered the routes of over 25 vessels to navigate around the Cape of Good Hope last week, and this number is expected to continue to grow. They added: "The cancellation of passages through ports or regions in shipping routes is expected to persist, and prices related to many trade movements may rise in the first quarter of 2024."
**CMA CGM**
The French shipping group stated on December 26 that it plans to gradually increase the number of vessels passing through the Suez Canal, based on a detailed assessment of the security landscape and its commitment to the safety and security of sailors. The company had previously rerouted several vessels to take the Cape route.
**Euronav**
The Belgian oil tanker company announced on December 18 that it would avoid the Red Sea area until further notice.
**Evergreen**
The Taiwanese container shipping company reported on December 18 that its vessels heading to Red Sea ports would navigate to nearby safe waters until further notice, while vessels scheduled to pass through the Red Sea would be directed to the Cape route. It also temporarily halted the acceptance of Israeli cargo.
**Frontline**
The Norwegian oil tanker group announced on December 18 that its vessels would avoid passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
**Grimaldi Group**
The Norwegian shipping company specializing in car carriers stated on December 21 that its vessels would not pass through the Red Sea.
**Hapag-Lloyd**
The German container shipping company informed Reuters on Friday that it had decided to continue rerouting its vessels away from the Suez Canal for security reasons. They noted that the next assessment of the situation would occur on January 2. A projectile believed to be a drone hit one of its vessels on December 15 while it was sailing near the Yemeni coast, but no crew members were injured.
**HMM**
The South Korean container shipping company reported on December 19 that it had ordered all its vessels coming from Europe, which normally pass through the Suez Canal, to change course to the Cape route indefinitely since December 15.
**Höegh Autoliners**
The Norwegian shipping company announced on December 20 that it would halt crossings in the Red Sea after the Norwegian Maritime Authority raised the alert level for the southern part of the sea to the highest level.
**Maersk**
The Danish shipping group stated on December 31 that it had "stopped all operations sailing through the Red Sea for 48 hours" after Houthi militants attacked the Maersk Hangzhou container ship with missiles and boats. They had previously announced on December 27 that they had scheduled a few dozen container vessels to sail through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea in the coming days and weeks.
**Ocean Network Express**
The Japanese joint venture of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Nippon Yusen, and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha announced on December 19 that it had decided to reroute vessels away from the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Instead, its ships will navigate around the Cape of Good Hope or temporarily halt trips to relocate to safe areas.
**Orient Overseas Container Line**
The Hong Kong-based company stated on December 21 that it had ordered its ships to change routes or cease sailing to Red Sea waters. Moreover, the shipping company owned by Orient Overseas International Limited had stopped accepting goods from and to Israel until further notice.
**Wallenius Wilhelmsen**
The Norwegian group announced on December 19 that it would stop all its journeys in the Red Sea until further notice. They noted that rerouting vessels to the Cape of Good Hope would increase voyage times from one week to two weeks.
**Yang Ming**
The Taiwanese shipping company reported on December 18 that it would reroute its vessels sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to the Cape of Good Hope over the next two weeks.
