French shipping company CMA CGM is working on plans to gradually increase the number of sailings in the Red Sea, but the timing and scope of its plans remain highly uncertain as attacks on shipping continue.
French shipping firm CMA CGM was among a number of shipping lines that rerouted ships via the Cape of Good Hope last month, amid increasing drone and missile attacks on international shipping by the Iran-backed Houthi militant group based in Yemen.
It was revealed that the company has so far redirected 13 northbound and 13 southbound ships, with some transiting through the Red Sea.
In a statement, CMA CGM said: “We are currently making plans for a gradual increase in the number of ships transiting the Suez Canal. We are constantly monitoring the situation and are ready to immediately re-evaluate and adjust our plans if necessary. The crews are our number one priority in dealing with the difficult situation in the Red Sea region.” “And advanced security procedures are implemented to ensure the safety of the ship.
CMA CGM’s announcement follows Maersk’s decision on Sunday to begin preparations to restart Red Sea crossings following confirmation that the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) had been established and deployed to the region.
Operation Guardian of Prosperity was announced by the United States on December 18, but the coalition got off to a slow start due to a lack of support among some key allies.
Meanwhile, Houthis’ attacks on commercial ships continued over the weekend and this week. An attack on an MSC container ship was reported yesterday, which did not cause any injuries or damage to the ship. (7Deniz)
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
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