This is the result of an eight-month-long campaign by the Houthis against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden because of Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip, the US military publication notes.
USNI News cites data from the Marine Traffic resource:
“Comparative maritime traffic data shows that Houthi attacks have led to a 79.6 per cent reduction in the number of dry cargo carriers transiting the Suez Canal in June 2024 compared to June 2023.”
And the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) reported a 90% reduction in the number of container ships transiting the Red Sea between December-2023 and February-2024. In total, 65 countries and 29 major shipping companies were affected by the Houthi strikes.
Nevertheless, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said on 18 June:
“In fact, the Houthis have failed to deter the U.S. and the international community from continuing to operate in the Red Sea. They have carried out more than 190 attacks, the vast majority of which were prevented by U.S. and international efforts to protect shipping and the lives of seafarers through operations such as Operation Prosperity Guardian.”
However, the fact is that the Husis do not need to shell every ship travelling in the Red Sea. It is enough to “knock out” individual ones. This immediately raises insurance costs and forces them to choose a route around the Cape of Good Hope. Which adds about $1 million in fuel costs and a week or two of travel time.
Also. Given the Pentagon’s statements, we are also looking forward to a drop in Western destroyer traffic through the Red Sea.
Elena Panina