Israeli shipping firm ZIM hikes rates, delivery time due to Yemen ops.
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The shipping company says it had to change routes due to the Yemeni prohibition on Israeli-owned and affiliated ships from passing through the Red Sea.
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A ZIM container ship sailing in an unidentified location (ZIM website)
Israeli shipping company ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. announced on Tuesday an imminent increase in its shipping rates from Asia to the Mediterranean, citing the recent Yemeni operations targeting vessels owned or affiliated with Israelis in response to the brutal war on Gaza and in support of the people of the Strip.
Sanaa's enforced decision compelled many major shipping companies to adopt significantly lengthier sailing routes.
The matter got worse for the Israeli occupation after the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) announced a new equation earlier this week following a US veto on a ceasefire in Gaza at the UNSC meeting, which added ships heading to "Israel", regardless of their nationality, to the ban, and expanding its scope to the Arabian Sea as well the Red Sea.
Read more: US threatens to thwart peace plan for Yemen, amid Red Sea operations
Shortly following the elevated warning, the YAF's Navy targeted late Tuesday a Norweigian-flagged oil tanker, Strinda, with an anti-ship missile, which resulted in a fire aboard the vessel. The ship was en route to an Israeli port in occupied Palestine.
According to Israeli website Globes, ZIM's decision comes amid "ongoing security threat in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden following Yemeni attacks."
The company highlighted that the Yemeni "threat lies on an international trade route," affecting "all shipping companies operating in the area, some of which have taken similar measures."
It added that "the challenge is not exclusive to our company, and the response should come from the international community and parties responsible for the freedom of navigation and the security of international trade."
Read more: Two ships change course as Yemeni forces captured Israeli-owned vessel
Globes revealed that about two weeks ago, ZIM decided to "alter its sailing routes" from the east of the occupied Palestinian territories due to Yemeni threats. The new routes now circumvent Africa instead of passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait toward the Suez Canal.
While the company did not specify the duration of the delay, messages sent by several major international shipping companies to their clients in "Israel" indicate that this could add up to 18 days to the transit time. In terms of costs, an additional charge of 20 to 100 dollars per container has been imposed on customers.
Maersk adds "risk surcharge" to Israeli-bound ships
The world's second-largest shipping company, A.P. Moller-Maersk, announced last week that it will start imposing a new risk surcharge on container shipments heading to "Israel" starting next year, citing the need to cover rising insurance premiums due to the unstable security situation.
“The surcharge will be used to accommodate additional insurance costs and ultimately ensure a continued and sustainable service for our customers to Israel,” the statement read.
Starting from January 8, Maersk customers will incur an additional fee of $50 for 20-foot containers. For larger containers, measuring 40 and 45 feet, the surcharge will be $100, as per the company's announcement.
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