The Red Sea shipping crisis – a result of Houthi rebel attacks on cargo ships and tankers – continues to plague the industry, creating setbacks and challenges for businesses, consumers, and economies around the globe.

The Red Sea is a critical shipping route connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, as it caters to a substantial portion of global trade, including oil, consumer goods, etc. 

However, geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, port congestion (the Suez Canal in particular), and logistical issues have led to significant delays. Vessels are being forced to reroute around southern Africa, a lengthy detour that adds 4,000 miles to each journey, vastly increasing transport times and freight costs. 

“The lengthening of supplier delivery times acts as an adverse supply shock. The rerouting of ships around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope equates to a roughly 30% increase in transit times, which implies an approximately 9% reduction in effective global container shipping capacity,” said economist Nora Szentivanyi.

Because of this, almost all container shipping routes through the Suez Canal have experienced a massive increase in shipping costs. The routes from Asia to Europe have felt the worst of it, as prices from these courses have surged nearly fivefold, while trips from China to the U.S. have also more than doubled.

Companies that depend on loans to invest in fleet expansion or infrastructure improvements now face steeper interest payments, often passed on to consumers through higher prices. The shipping industry, particularly capital-intensive, is seeing increased operational costs due to higher financing expenses.

Together, these two factors are creating a perfect storm for global trade. Supply chains are under stress, shipping costs are climbing, and consumers feel the pinch through higher prices and longer wait times for goods. 

Looking ahead, shipping costs may remain elevated for some time. “The longer the duration of these disruptions, the more likely shipping rates will stay elevated — if not increase further,” Szentivanyi noted. “The one potential silver lining is that there remains an excess supply of container ships globally, and many that were ordered during the pandemic continue to enter service. Thus, it appears likely that once the disruptions are over, shipping rates could lower fairly quickly.”