Ships avoid Suez route after attacks – talks on naval protection
Published: Sunday, Dec 17th 2023, 15:00
Volver a Live Feed
Major shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal due to the attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels. After the shipping companies Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, the world's largest container shipping company MSC also suspended its shipments on this shipping route on Saturday. However, the alternative route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa extends the transports by a few days. Behind the scenes, several countries are discussing the military protection of merchant ships. The German Shipowners' Association and the Chairwoman of the Bundestag's Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), have called for German participation.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked Israel with drones and missiles, among other things, and have attacked ships in the Red Sea to prevent them from sailing towards Israel. On Friday, the container freighter "Al Jasrah" from Hapag-Lloyd and the "MSC Palatium III" were damaged in attacks. The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean with the Red Sea and thus offers the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe. Around ten percent of all global trade passes through the Red Sea.
Danger for merchant ships and seafarers
"In order to preserve the lives and safety of our seafarers", the Suez Canal will no longer be transited until the route through the Red Sea is safe again, MSC said in Geneva on Saturday. The managing director of the shipowners' association, Martin Kröger, pointed out that the USA, France and the UK already have naval vessels in the region. "It would be appropriate if Germany were to participate accordingly," said Kröger on the Bayern 2 radio program "radioWelt" on Saturday.
Strack-Zimmermann also emphasized: "We should support the navy protecting the ships together with international partners." It is "logical that all those who depend on their goods being transported through the Red Sea should participate," the FDP politician told the German Press Agency.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Friday that a US request was being examined. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who set off for talks in the Middle East region at the weekend, had already discussed the issue with his British counterpart Grant Shapps on Friday. At Platform X, Austin spoke of an international problem that needed to be tackled. Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren told NPO 1 on Sunday that her country was discussing naval protection for merchant shipping through the Red Sea with the USA and international partner countries.
Anti-piracy mission off Somalia as a role model?
Head of the shipowners' association Kröger referred to the experience of protecting cargo ships against pirates in the Horn of Africa. "One of the most effective means was convoy trips, where naval vessels accompany merchant ships." These had the necessary weapons on board to fend off drone and missile attacks. The Bundeswehr took part in the EU's Atalanta mission to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia from 2008 to 2022. Pirates had repeatedly carried out armed attacks on merchant ships and food transports of the United Nations World Food Program.
Drones shot down over the Red Sea
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked Israel with drones and missiles. On Saturday, a US Navy destroyer shot down 14 drones over the Red Sea, which, according to the US military's regional command, were launched from an area in Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels. According to Defense Secretary Shapps, a British warship on Platform X also shot down a suspected attack drone over the Red Sea.
©Keystone/SDA
Spanish 
English 
German 
French 
Arabic