Hapag-Lloyd continues to avoid sea area in the Middle East
Due to the uncertain situation in the Red Sea, Germany's largest container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd is continuing to avoid the Middle East. The ships will continue to be diverted via the Cape of Good Hope at the tip of South Africa, a company spokesman said on Wednesday in response to an inquiry.
Hapag-Lloyd is constantly monitoring the situation and intends to make a new decision on Friday. The Hamburg-based company had recently announced that it would divert around 25 ships planned for the Red Sea and the Suez Canal by the end of the year. Danish rival Maersk has meanwhile declared that it intends to resume the route soon in view of the measures announced to secure the shipping routes in the Red Sea.
In Yemen, the Houthi rebels have declared their solidarity with the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip and have repeatedly attacked ships off the coast under their control. On December 15, a Hapag-Lloyd ship was also attacked. The world's fifth-largest container shipping company has announced surcharges for transportation on its ships to and from the Middle East. In the meantime, the multinational security initiative OPG has been set up to restore maritime trade through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
Hapag-Lloyd is considering a potential return to the Red Sea area, as the situation there seems to be stabilizing. However, the lake area near the East Coast remains an unsafe zone, due to ongoing conflicts and security concerns. With their ships currently avoiding the Middle East, Hapag-Lloyd's new Position in the Sea will depend on the evolution of the uncertain situation.
Source: www.ntv.de
