EMEA News
Container Line ONE Joins Red Sea Boxship Exodus
Container line ONE has joined the growing list of shipping firms avoiding the Red Sea and Suez Canal after a spate of recent attacks on commercial shipping in the region.
The company will either reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope or pause their voyages and reposition them in a safe location, with immediate effect, ONE said in a statement on its website.
"In response to the recent heightened security incidents in the Red Sea region and the Gulf of Aden, and recognising the escalating threats to our seafarers and vessels, Ocean Network Express (ONE) is taking immediate action to prioritise the safety and security of our seafarers while remaining committed to ensuring the continuation of reliable and secure transportation services to our customers," the company said.
"We will continue to closely monitor the situation and reinstate our services through the Suez Canal when we determine the area is safe and secure for our seafarers, our vessels, and the cargo onboard.
"We regret the inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding in the precautionary measures we are taking to ensure the continued safety of our seafarers."
ONE is the world's sixth-largest container line by capacity.
The firm joins a long list of leading shipping companies announcing similar decisions since late last week.
The container industry alone avoiding Suez and taking longer routes around Africa could boost global bunker demand by up to 2%, according to a Ship & Bunker analysis. The tanker and bulker segments following this lead could double that figure.
