One consequence of the attacks on shipping in the Red Sea has been for major shipping companies, including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, to divert container ships on Asia-Europe routes around the Cape (image credit Hapag-Lloyd) rather than the shorter Red Sea-Suez Canal voyage, adding to fuel use and associated emissions.
The World Shipping Council, the International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO have expressed their thanks to the 12 nations that have jointly condemned the ongoing illegal attacks on ships in the Red Sea and unlawful detention of vessels and crews there.
As the governments of the US, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the UK have all stated, these attacks are unacceptable, illegal and directly threaten the freedom of navigation that is fundamental to global trade. On behalf of members and their seafarers and customers throughout the world, the organisations has thanked these 12 nations for their strong commitment to defending rules-based international order and to holding malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks.
The three shipping associations are calling on all nations and international organisations to protect seafarers, international trade in the Red Sea, and to support the welfare of the global commons by bringing all pressure to bear on the aggressors so that these intolerable attacks cease with immediate effect.
