Will the Red Sea become a no-go zone? The giant CMA CGM, the leading French maritime carrier, announced on Saturday that it was suspending, like the Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd groups, the crossing of the Red Sea by its container ships after attacks perpetrated against ships by Houthi rebels from Yemen.
The group “decided to order all CMA CGM container ships in the region that must pass through the Red Sea to reach safe zones” or not to leave waters deemed safe, “with immediate effect and until “until further notice,” according to a press release. “The situation continues to deteriorate and security concerns are increasing,” says CMA CGM to justify its decision.
War zone
On Friday, the Danish giant Maersk and the German Hapag-Lloyd announced a similar decision, the first “until further notice” and the second at least until Monday.
In recent weeks, the Houthis have increased attacks near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, which separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa and through which 40% of international trade passes.
Several missiles and drones were shot down by US and French warships patrolling the area.
Reaction to the war between Hamas and Israel
United Kingdom Defense Minister Grant Shapps announced on Saturday that the British destroyer HMS Diamond had shot down a “suspected attack drone targeting merchant shipping in the Red Sea” overnight from Friday to Saturday. »
Yemeni rebels, close to Iran, have warned that they will target ships sailing off the coast of Yemen with links to Israel, in response to the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.