Maersk Lifts Guidance as Red Sea Disruption and Strong Demand Continue

Danish shipping company raises full-year guidance for the third time in as many months

A.P. Moeller-Maersk raised its full-year guidance for the third time in as many months as disruptions in the Red Sea and strong container shipping demand continue.

Container operators have been forced to send their vessels on longer routes around southern Africa's Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea after Houthi rebels began attacking commercial vessels at the end of last year, creating a shortage of vessels and port bottlenecks while...

Maersk CEO Comments On Continued Impact Of Red Sea Crisis

The Red Sea crisis is stretching into the third quarter of 2024, continuing to put a strain on container ships that are being forced to temporarily divert and take longer routes. 

Conflict in the area began in October 2023, and by December 2023 container ships in transit through the Red Sea/ Gulf of Aden were being attacked. Maersk was one of the shipping companies to experience an attack when its vessel, the Maersk Hangzhou, was hit by an unknown object while passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait from...

Monthly Import Cargo Continues to Rise Despite Supply Chain Challenges

Monthly inbound cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports is continuing to rise despite a variety of supply chain challenges, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Lulls between supply chain challenges seldom last long, and importers are currently looking at issues including high shipping rates, unresolved port labor negotiations and continuing capacity and congestion issues from the ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said...

Europe Looking Towards Air Freight Solutions Due To Continuing Attacks in Red Sea 

As Houthi terrorists continue to attack in the Red Sea, shipping and logistics companies also continue to provide updates on what the developments mean for cargo.

U.S. Central Command confirmed on March 12 that between 2 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Sanaa time, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists “fired one close-range ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon in the Red Sea.” The U.S. government agency revealed that the missile did not impact the vessel, and that there...

Import Cargo Returning to Normal After Red Sea Disruptions

With the supply chain adjusting to ongoing Houthi rebel attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, inbound cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports remains on track to show year-over-year increases through the first half of 2024, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Retailers continue to work with their partners to mitigate the impact of disruptions from the Red Sea and Panama Canal restrictions,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said...

Two US-flagged Maersk Ships Turn Around in Red Sea After Explosions

Shipping company Maersk said on Wednesday two U.S.-flagged vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait northbound had turned around after seeing explosions nearby.

The vessels and crew were unharmed and were being escorted back to the Gulf of Aden by the U.S. Navy, Maersk said.

Maersk Says All Vessels Due to Transit the Red Sea Will Be Diverted For ‘Foreseeable Future’

Despite warnings from the U.S. and other countries to cease attacks, the Houthi rebels show no signs of stopping. Shipping company Maersk says that as the situation continues to evolve and “remains highly volatile,” they have made the decision to divert all Maersk vessels that are due to transit the Red Sea/ Gulf of Aden for “the foreseeable future.” Vessels that were due to travel through the Red Sea will continue to be diverted south around the Cape of Good Hope.

“We understand...

Hapag-Lloyd Continuing to Explore Solutions As Attacks on Red Sea Vessels Continue

Hapag-Lloyd is just one of the shipping and container transportation companies dealing with the fallout of the ongoing Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea. The German company confirmed earlier this week that they would be diverting its vessels away from the Suez Canal/ Red Sea until at least January 9. Now the company has released a new update, confirming that they are continuing to avoid the Red Sea route “for the safety of our crew and cargo.”

As SeafoodNews previously reported...

Maersk Pauses All Transit Through the Red Sea/ Gulf of Aden Following Attack on Vessel

Logistics company Maersk announced on Tuesday that they will be pausing all transit through the Red Sea/ Gulf of Aden “until further notice.” The decision follows an attack on the company’s vessel, the Maersk Hangzhou, which occurred on December 30.

“An investigation into the incident is ongoing and we will continue to pause all cargo movement through the area while we further assess the constantly evolving situation,” the company said in a statement today. “In cases where it makes most sense for our customers...

US-led Forces in Red Sea will be Defensive ‘Highway Patrol’

The longer container lines detour from the Red Sea around the Cape of Good Hope, the more vessel capacity will be soaked up, and the higher freight rates will go. Rates are already rebounding. New surcharges just announced by ocean carriers imply freight costs are headed higher still.

Container lines have a perfectly valid reason to avoid going through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait from a corporate governance perspective: They cannot guarantee the safety of their seafarers, ships or cargo due to indiscriminate attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels...