Maersk Resuming Shipping In Red Sea Amid Maritime Aggression

Danish shipping company Maersk has announced its decision to resume shipping operations in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden amid growing maritime tensions.

The decision follows Maersk's temporary suspension of vessel transit through the Bab al-Mandab strait in December. The action was taken in response to attacks from Iran's Yemeni proxy, the Houthis, on Maersk ships, resulting in the closure of the Suez Canal—a critical artery for global trade—rendering it impassable for a majority of routes.

On Tuesday, the United States officially declared the initiation of a multinational operation aimed at safeguarding Red Sea commerce from the Iran-backed militants. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, the Houthis have been launching drones and missiles at international vessels, citing their actions as a response to Israel's attacks on fellow Iran-backed militants, Hamas.

In a statement released on Sunday, Maersk confirmed the establishment and activation of the previously disclosed multinational security initiative, Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG). The primary objective of OPG is to facilitate maritime commerce through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, thereby facilitating the resumption of traffic through the Suez Canal—a crucial link connecting Asia and Europe.

"With the OPG initiative in effect, we are preparing to allow vessels to resume transit through the Red Sea both eastbound and westbound," stated Maersk in the official communication. The company emphasized that additional details would be forthcoming in the coming days and highlighted the potential reconsideration of diverting ship traffic based on evolving safety conditions.

Concurrently, other entities, including the oil major BP, have also suspended transit through the Red Sea in recent weeks due to heightened safety apprehensions.