Red Sea

POLA volume came in at 855,652 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), for an 18% annual increase, and POLB reported that January volume, at 674,015 TEU, increased 17.5% annually.

From December to January, Descartes reported that U.S.-bound container import volumes rose 7.9%, to 2,273,125 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units). And on an annual basis, it found that January volumes were up 9.9%, while posting a 9.6% increase compared to pre-pandemic 2019’s 2,036,393 TEU tally. What’s more, the report noted that the 7.9% sequential increase, from December to January, marked its biggest gain for that period over the last seven years.

With the global supply chain remaining on high alert amid the series of attacks on the Red Sea shipping lane by the Yemeni Houthi pirates in response to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, a hearing held this week by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, examined the impact of this situation on various aspects of goods movement and the supply chain.

Global shipping rates are skyrocketing as Houthi attacks in the Red Sea continue. Carriers avoiding the area are suffering from longer transit times around Africa, leading not only to higher costs but delayed deliveries and disruption throughout the global supply chain.  

Major U.S. container ports are entering a period of historically low cargo volumes as the holiday season winds down. However, attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea and continued delays at the Panama Canal may shake up this year’s usual winter lull.

Earlier today, various media reports indicated that the United States and England have taken retaliatory measures against the Yemeni Houthi pirates for their ongoing series of attacks on the Red Sea shipping lane, in response to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

Alternate routes are adding cost, time to global trade

Due to the ongoing violence in the Red Sea region and continued attacks on global shipping, global ocean container line service provider A.P. Moller-Maersk said this week it would pause all vessels bound for the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden, due to the recent incident pertaining to the Maersk Hangzhou and related issued in that region.

Companies have placed a pause on activity as Houthi rebels continue to target commercial ships.