Sailors pass by the Ebba Maersk container ship as they participate in the annual long-distance dhow sailing race, known as al-Gaffal, near Sir Abu Nuair island towards the Gulf emirate of Dubai on June 4, 2022. (Credit: Karim Sahib/AFP)
Eighteen shipping companies are re-routing their vessels around Africa to avoid the Red Sea amid an upsurge in attacks on shipping, blamed by Western countries on Yemen's H0uthi rebels, the UN's maritime agency said Wednesday.
"A significant number of companies, around 18 shipping companies, have already decided to reroute their vessels around South Africa in order to reduce the attacks on vessels," said International Maritime Organization chief Arsenio Dominguez.
"(This) represents an additional 10 days to the journeys (and) negative impact on trade and on increasing freight rates."
Eighteen shipping companies are re-routing their vessels around Africa to avoid the Red Sea amid an upsurge in attacks on shipping, blamed by Western countries on Yemen's H0uthi rebels, the UN's maritime agency said Wednesday.
"A significant number of companies, around 18 shipping companies, have already decided to reroute their vessels around South...