Shipping firms hold off red sea return

Shipping companies locked their stance, no Red Sea routes until a Middle East peace deal pulls in the Houthis. Word from the top at outfits like Maersk and MSC is firm: no broad accord, no dice. The militia’s grip keeps the Suez Canal quiet, and execs aren’t budging.

This kicked off when the Houthis started targeting ships in late 2023, backing Hamas against Israel, and the industry’s dug in since. Aboard a freighter off Africa’s Cape, a deckhand might grumble about the detour—longer hauls, higher costs, but safer waters. The companies see profit in the wait, rates climbing with every reroute.

Peace talks or a Houthi takedown are the only keys, insiders say—Iran’s shadow over Yemen’s fighters looms large. Until then, the Red Sea’s a no-go, and global trade’s pulse drags slower. A port clerk in Singapore might shuffle papers a bit longer, the standoff’s ripple stretching far and wide.