11/17/2025
The group will continue to divert ships via the Cape of Good Hope to ensure safety and operational efficiency.
Geneva – MSC will continue to avoid crossing the Red Sea, choosing to divert its ships bound for Europe via the Cape of Good Hope route, even though the Houthis have reportedly suspended attacks on merchant ships following the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in effect since October 10.
The company explained that the situation in the Suez Canal Zone remains volatile and unclear. To ensure the safety of seafarers and provide predictable services to customers, MSC will maintain the diversion “until further notice.”
The decision mirrors that of Maersk, whose CEO Vincent Clerc recently said it was too early to consider shipping in the area safe , warning of the risk of having to “regret the choice in three months”.
Meanwhile, Maersk’s French alliance partner, CMA CGM, tested a passage in the Red Sea with the vessel Benjamin Franklin, which passed without incident.
Houthi attacks on ships believed to be close to Israel began in late 2023, as a show of support for Hamas. According to available information, no new attacks have occurred since the truce took effect . However, in a letter to Hamas, Houthi Chief of Staff Yusuf al-Madani stated that the attacks would resume if Israel were to resume “its offensive on Gaza.”
The Houthis have explicitly declared that their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea are an act of solidarity with the people of Gaza and a direct response to the Israeli military campaign. Their stated goals are twofold: to pressure Israel to cease its offensive and to block ships from reaching Israeli ports, particularly Eilat, by enforcing a de facto maritime blockade until Israel allows humanitarian aid into Gaza.
However, analysts also note that the attacks serve the Houthis’ domestic and regional ambitions by bolstering their standing as a key military force within the “Axis of Resistance” and strengthening their position in the long-running civil war in Yemen.