Container Lines Eye a Less Profitable Future With Calm in Red Sea

The world’s top container carriers and their investors are warily eyeing a return to the Red Sea-Suez route after a year of profitable disruption – but the return will not happen quickly, executives and maritime security advisors say. 

Beginning in late 2023, Houthi attacks gradually forced most liners to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks to each voyage and boosting ton-mile demand. As carriers pulled in every available ship to cover the extra time and distance on Asia-Europe routes, a looming o…