International report: Red Sea traffic stable, ship owners test the waters

Transit through Red Sea choke points has remained largely unchanged two weeks after the Houthis announced a partial halt to attacks on commercial shipping, according to a report by British shipping firm Lloyd's List .

According to ship tracking data from Lloyd's List Intelligence, 200 ships, equivalent to 14.3 million tons, passed through the Suez Canal last week, and 225 ships, equivalent to 14 million tons, passed through the Bab al-Mandab.

These volumes are in line with levels seen over the past 11 months, as traffic has largely stabilized after initially avoiding the Red Sea.

Suez Canal Authority Chairman Lieutenant General Osama Rabie said during a phone call with Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc that the improvement in the situation in the Red Sea should be taken into account when making decisions related to navigation.

Rabie said: “The positive indicators witnessed in the Red Sea region must be taken into consideration when developing navigation plans and schedules for the coming period.”

Analysis of the Bab al-Mandab transit shows that some ship owners and operators have been sufficiently reassured by Houthi statements that they are no longer targets.

Of the 225 ships that sailed through Bab al-Mandab last week, 16 appear to have returned to the choke point after changing course when the security situation deteriorated.

Another 15 ships were making their maiden voyage through the strait without a history of such a crossing over the past two years.

Only ships carrying cargoes over 10,000 tons (those likely to be international trade) were considered for this analysis.