Egypt: 55 Vessel Diversions Since Nov Amid Growing Strains

In a recent statement, the Suez Canal Authority of Egypt, under the guidance of its Chairman Osama Rabie, disclosed that they are vigilantly observing the repercussions of escalating tensions in the Red Sea. This heightened alertness follows a series of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on ships navigating the southern segment of the sea.

Since November 19, there has been a noticeable diversion in maritime routes, with 55 vessels opting for the Cape of Good Hope, while 2,128 ships have continued to traverse the Suez Canal.

Notably, MSC, recognized as the largest container shipping company globally, declared on Saturday its decision to circumvent the Suez Canal route due to the intensification of Houthi attacks.

Chairman Rabie emphasized the importance of monitoring the situation, stating that maritime movement through the canal remains unaffected at present, though he refrained from elaborating further.

The Iran-backed Houthis have initiated these maritime assaults as a form of protest against Israel's military actions in Gaza, which, as reported by health officials in Gaza, have resulted in nearly 19,000 Palestinian casualties.

On a related note, Rabie mentioned that on Sunday, the canal saw the passage of 77 ships, which surprisingly included some from shipping lines that had previously announced detours. These ships were already positioned in the Red Sea area before their diversion announcements were made.

This report was initially brought to light by Yusri Mohamed, with Nayera Abdallah contributing to the writing and Elisa Martinuzzi and Andrew Heavens handling the editing. This information is published under the auspices of Reuters and is protected under their copyright of 2023.