Dutch cargo ships will not sail through the Red Sea due to recent attacks

Dutch cargo ships will not flow through the Red Sea for the time being, as rebels from the Houthi movement have been using rockets and drones to shoot at any boat that comes by. The rebels from Yemen are claiming the attacks are in retaliation for the Israeli attacks on Gaza.

The Houthis have indicated they will continue attacking ships until Israel agrees to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Ships traveling to Asia are instead sailing around South Africa. This detour takes 10 to 15 days longer.

Until a few days ago, it seemed like only Israeli ships or ships with an Israeli link were not safe. But the attacks seem to be random now. Annet Koster from the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) says that the link to Israel is “hard to find or not there at all,” which makes the situation more complicated.” And especially that arbitrariness is what makes it so dangerous,” Koster added. The Houthis have said that they will not stop until Israel stops attacking Gaza.

Ships already on the Red Sea have no choice but to keep sailing, says Koster, but the ships that can still decide are choosing to go the long way round via Africa.

The KVNR is joining their international colleagues in advocating for military escorts in the Red Sea. “When Iran attacked tankers in the Straits of Hormuz a few years ago, they also did this, and it helped.”