Maersk says to divert ships around Africa
The Danish firm added that this would continue until "foreseeable future"
Copenhagen: Shipping giant Maersk said Friday that it would divert all vessels around Africa instead of using the Red Sea and Suez Canal for the "foreseeable future" after Yemeni rebels attacked its merchant ships.
The Danish company cited a "highly volatile" situation and noted that the security risk "continues to be at a significantly elevated level," and that it had "therefore decided that all Maersk vessels due to transit the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden will be diverted south around the Cape of Good Hope for the foreseeable future," it said in a statement.
Maersk had paused all container shipments through the Red Sea until further notice and sent them on a detour around Africa, a spokesperson for the company told Reuters on December 15.
"Following the near-miss incident involving Maersk Gibraltar yesterday and yet another attack on a container vessel today, we have instructed all Maersk vessels in the area bound to pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait to pause their journey until further notice," the company said in a statement at the time.