Shipping industry now looking towards the Houthis rebels to see if they will stop targeting merchant ships and bring an end to the Red Sea shipping crisis, following the announcement of the six-week phase one of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The Houthis campaign against merchant ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, caused a major rerouting for most ships heading between Asia and Europe
Lars Jensen, who heads up container consultants Vespucci Maritime, reacting to the ceasefire agreement news, wrote today: “It seems very likely that [the Houthis] will await and see whether the ceasefire holds up “
Jensen suggested that shipping lines currently diverting around Africa will want to see not only the ceasefire hold up on Sunday, but also see some meaningful traction on the negotiations for phase two and three of the ceasefire deal.
Speaking with Splash earlier this week, Guy Platten, the secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping, stressed that the seafarers from the Galaxy Leader are not forgotten and are released as part of any sustained ceasefire deal. The Galaxy Leader, a car carrier, and its crew were hijacked by the Houthis 14 months ago.