Shipping company Maersk posted record annual earnings for 2022 but warned that profits are set to tumble this year as a “more balanced demand environment” emerges.
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Maersk will pause all shipping transit through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until further notice after one of its vessels came under attack from militants over the weekend, the company announced on Tuesday.
The decision by the Danish shipping giant extends a 48 hour pause implemented on Sunday in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
“We have made the decision to pause all transits through the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden until further notice,” the company said in a update sent to customers Tuesday.
The container ship Maersk Hangzhou came under attack over the weekend by four small boats crewed by Houthi militants. U.S. Navy helicopters responded to a distress call and returned fire after coming under attack from the militants, sinking three boats and killing the crews, according to U.S. Central Command.
“An investigation into the incident is ongoing and we will continue to pause all cargo movement through the area while we further assess the constantly evolving situation,” Maersk said in its Tuesday update.
Vessels will be re-routed and continue their journey around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa in cases where this makes sense, the company said.
Houthi militants, based in Yemen and backed by Iran, have repeatedly attacked shipping vessels in the Red Sea in recent weeks in response to the war in Gaza.
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