Leading Ocean Carriers Suspend Suez Canal Transits Amid Regional Attacks
Major ocean carriers have decided to halt their ships’ transit through the Suez Canal due to recent attacks in the region. The world’s largest container line, MSC, announced that its vessels would not transit the Suez Canal eastbound and westbound “until the Red Sea passage is safe.” MSC highlighted an attack on the 2,500 TEU box ship MSC Palatium III on December 15, causing limited fire damage and leading to the vessel’s withdrawal from service. Some services are already being rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope, impacting sailing schedules.
Maersk, a Danish container shipping company, also stated that all its ships in the area bound for the Bab al-Mandab Strait would pause their journey until further notice. Similarly, Hapag-Lloyd, a German ocean carrier, will suspend all container ship traffic through the Red Sea until Monday (18 December) and decide on the period thereafter. French shipping giant CMA CGM and Israeli box line ZIM have also made similar decisions due to safety and security concerns.
The situation’s impact on international shipping is yet to be determined, and the evolving nature of the crisis is noted. The Suez Canal, a critical artery in global logistics, faced disruptions in March 2021 when the container ship Ever Given ran aground, causing global backlogs and shipping delays. Additionally, COSCO-owned container line OOCL announced an immediate cessation of cargo acceptance to and from Israel due to operational issues.
