Attacks on shipping in the Red Sea divert traffic around Africa

Day

1,030 (as of 2026-09-13 (13 September 2026))

Started

2023-11-19 (19 November 2023)

Severity

5 Critical

Chokepoints

Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Suez Canal, Cape of Good Hope

Ports

None

Lanes

Asia to North Europe, Asia to Mediterranean

• Severity basis: A disruption documented by official sources across more than one region at once; governments and carriers have recorded attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and the rerouting of services around the Cape of Good Hope since 2023.

Expected before the event

77.5 transits per day

Last 7 days

27.3

Last 28 days

27.1 (-65%)

Average since the start

34.4

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Expected before the event

75.8 transits per day

Last 7 days

37.9

Last 28 days

41.1 (-46%)

Average since the start

40.9

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Expected before the event

50.8 transits per day

Last 7 days

90.6

Last 28 days

88.1 (+74%)

Average since the start

91.2

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Expected before the event

19.6 transits per day

Last 7 days

5.9

Last 28 days

5.0 (-74%)

Average since the start

5.8

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

1. 2026-09-13Reporting from the region describes Houthi control of the Yemeni Red Sea coast and says operators are still routing around the Cape rather than through the strait.
2. 2026-03-02After a pause in attacks from about November 2025, officials of the group are reported as saying they will resume attacks on merchant ships, and Maersk again moves selected services to the Cape route.
3. 2024-01-02After an attack on one of its ships, Maersk pauses all transits through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden until further notice and diverts them around the Cape.
4. 2023-12-19Maersk says the paused ships will instead sail around Africa by way of the Cape of Good Hope.

Full record with sources, cause and measured effect. All ongoing disruptions.