Gaza ceasefire brings hope for Red Sea stability: What would that mean for rail freight?

Now that there is a ceasefire in Gaza, there is a prospect for stability at the Red Sea. The Houthi rebel group in Yemen, who have been targeting passerby ships in the Red Sea as a support measure for the people of Gaza, also seem to be observing the ceasefire. Maritime shippers remain cautious, but a return of shipping to the Red Sea now seems possible. Could that have an impact on China – Europe rail freight?

Xavier Wanderpepen, a rail freight consultant, explains that it most definitely could. According to him, the rail freight market is volatile, and its circumstances change all the time: “If we were to graph the volumes and transit times of freight trains over the past five years, we would see situations that range from excellent to chaotic.”

One such change in circumstances is the security situation at the Red Sea. “Many customers now use rail transport by default, due…