In a recent development, Houthi rebels targeted a US-owned bulk carrier, the M/V Genco Picardy, with an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) in the Gulf of Aden.
As reported, this attack came after the Biden Administration re-designated the Houthis as a “terrorist” organization. In response to the attack, the US Central Command conducted tomahawk land-attack cruise missile strikes on Houthi missile launchers in Yemen, aiming to degrade their capabilities and protect international and commercial shipping in the region.
UKMTO WARNING 013/JAN/2024
INCIDENT 015 – ATTACK UPDATE 002https://t.co/qlApy9q9pq#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/hd6EVKxoxw
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) January 17, 2024
Furthermore, the escalating attacks have raised concerns in the shipping industry, prompting some vessels to broadcast messages disassociating themselves from Israel to avoid Houthi attacks in the Red Sea area.
In addition, as reported by Bloomberg, the Suez Canal is faced with the lowest traffic numbers since the unforgettable Even Given grounding. The situation has also led to a decline in commercial ship transits through the Suez Canal, as some ship owners opt for alternative routes to ensure the safety of their vessels.
So for us this will mean longer transit times and probably disruptions of the supply chain for a few months at least, hopefully shorter, but it could also be longer because it’s so unpredictable how this situation is actually developing
… said As Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk at the Reuters Global Markets Forum in Davos
