Red Sea crisis tops reader concerns

Readers were given five options: Port congestion, Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, cybersecurity, compliance with regulations, and availability of qualified seafarers.

A majority of readers, 52%, said that Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea was their top concern. The attacks that started in late 2023 have seen a large number of vessels re-routing via the Cape of Good Hope despite adding significantly to the length of voyages between Asia and Europe, the Med, and the Middle East.

Diversions have in many cases proved beneficial to shipping markets but have also added to fuel costs and emissions. For vessels that continue to transit the Red Sea the threat of attack from the Houthi continues with ships often subject to multiple attacks from both air and sea.

The second top concern among readers, some 27% was port congestion, an issue which in some cases can also be linked to the disruption caused by the Red Sea crisis.

Of the three other issues 10% put compliance with new regulations as their top concern, 6% the availability of qualified seafarers, and 5% cybersecurity.