Denmark’s Maersk is preparing to resume shipping operations in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the company said on Sunday, citing the deployment of a US-led military operation designed to ensure the safety of commerce in the area.
The shipping giant paused sending vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb strait earlier in December due to attacks against its ships. That rendered the Suez Canal, which is key to global commerce, unusable for most routes.
“As of Sunday 24 December 2023, we have received confirmation that the previously announced multinational security initiative Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) has now been set up and deployed to allow maritime commerce to pass through the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden and once again return to using the Suez Canal as a gateway between Asia and Europe,” Masersk said in a statement on Sunday.
“With the OPG initiative in operation, we are preparing to allow for vessels to resume transit through the Red Sea both eastbound and westbound.”
‘Deeply involved’: US blames Iran for Houthi ship attacks in Red Sea
‘Deeply involved’: US blames Iran for Houthi ship attacks in Red Sea
Maersk said it would release more details in coming days. But it said it could again resort to diverting ship traffic depending on how safety conditions evolved.
On Tuesday, Maersk said it was re-routing ships around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. It said it would impose container surcharges for shipments from Asia to cover the extra costs associated with the longer journey.
Several other firms have stopped transiting the Red Sea on safety concerns in recent weeks, as has oil major BP.
Meanwhile, Iran’s military revealed a range of new equipment in a state television report on Sunday, highlighting new cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,000 kilometres, drones with “electronic warfare and intelligence” capabilities and helicopters for reconnaissance and assault.
As the war in Gaza persists, Tehran is facing fresh conflict with the West, which has accused it of taking part in or supporting attacks on commercial vessels in international waters.
10:26
Yemen’s Houthi fighters behind Red Sea attacks threaten to disrupt global trade
Yemen’s Houthi fighters behind Red Sea attacks threaten to disrupt global trade
The Pentagon said a drone launched from Iran struck a chemical tanker travelling through the Indian Ocean on Saturday, a day after the White House said Iran was “deeply involved” in the planning of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants on merchant ships in the Red Sea.
Iran has consistently denied all allegations of involvement in the attacks on commercial shippers, which have escalated since the conflict in Gaza began on October 7.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg