Posted on January 1, 2024
The Pentagon is convincing shipping companies that the routes through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal are still safe, despite the Houthi attacks, Azernews reports, citing International Media Outlets.
“The Pentagon interacts with industry representatives almost daily to assess their needs and assure that the international community is ready to help with safe passage [through the Red Sea and Suez Canal],” said Defense Department spokesman Bryon McGarry, responsible for the Middle East and Africa.
However, according to Bloomberg, most companies do not want to take risks and seek to rebuild their routes. According to the data cited by the agency, about half of the container ships that regularly passed through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal now avoid these routes.
“It will take some time for shippers to assess the security situation,” said Mark Kancian, senior adviser at the American Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“If it turns out that the United States and the coalition can provide safe passage, then I think they will return. But now they can’t be sure of that,” the expert said. He added that if the US starts shelling Houthi camps, it will probably increase the risk, not reduce it.
As analyst Gene Moran pointed out, shipping companies would like the “American-led coalition” to combat the threat from the Houthis to “do more.”
