
Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Osama Rabie has urged shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk to consider signs of stability in the Red Sea when planning its routes, according to an SCA statement.
Rabie made the remarks during a meeting with the Danish container shipping group’s CEO and senior executives, though the statement did not specify when the talks took place.
“We seek to incorporate the positive indicators observed in the Red Sea region into maritime scheduling in the coming period,” Rabie was quoted as saying.
Major shipping firms have largely rerouted vessels around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to avoid potential attacks from Yemen’s Houthi forces. The disruptions have significantly impacted Egypt’s Suez Canal revenues, with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi estimating losses of around $7 billion in 2024.
Despite recent Houthi claims that they would scale back attacks, Maersk announced last week it would continue diverting ships away from the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. The Iran-backed group has launched over 100 attacks on commercial vessels since November 2023, sinking two ships, seizing another, and killing at least four crew members.