Around 50% of container ships leave the Red Sea due to the Houthi escalation

SMA NEWS – HODIEDA
The Iranian-backed Houthi militia’s escalation against ships led to the loss of the Red Sea shipping lane and the Suez Canal during the past week, half the number of container ships that used to pass through the region.

Data from the American FlexPort, which specializes in supply chain management, on Thursday, revealed that 299 ships, with a total capacity of 4.3 million containers, have changed their course away from the Red Sea or are planning to do so.

A survey conducted separately by Cohen & Nagel International revealed that 364 ships with a capacity of 5 million containers were redirected to the Cape of Good Hope route from the beginning of the week until Wednesday, up from 314 ships on December 22.