*Note: this article was written in the run-up to Christmas 2023.
Ships often travel by the Suez Canal but many ships are now avoiding the Red Sea because of ballistic missile, and other, attacks from the so-called Houthis, local armed forces operating in Yemen.
The Houthis are affiliated, or, at least, feel affiliation toward, Hamas – the militant Islamist Palestinian group that governs the Gaza strip and which is committed to violently resisting Israel. Hamas carried out a massive and deadly surprise terrorist attack in October 2023. The Houthis have declared their support for Hamas and subsequently began attacking ships that had some perceived connection to Israel. It now appears that the Houthis are attacking many ships in the Red Sea area.
The ocean shipping routes most affected by the attacks in the Red Sea are the Asia-Europe and the alternate East Asia to North America East Coast routes. The Suez Canal lops off a huge amount of distance and time on both of these routes.
Ships on the East Asia to North America East Coast route normally cross the Pacific, sail through the Panama Canal and then head north to the US eastern ports. But sometimes ships have to sail the alternate East Asia to North America East Coast route by sailing the Indian Ocean, through Suez, the Med and then across the Atlantic.
Ships sail this alternate East Asia / North America route when there is a big drought in Panama – and there is a big drought underway in Panama right now. Drought reduces the water level in Gatun Lake, which forms a major part of the Panama Canal.
Find out more about the two crises affecting two canals on far sides of the planet.
