Delivery journeys may be almost twice as lengthy
This rerouting is a direct response to the heightened threat of assaults by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on service provider vessels. Main transport traces – together with Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd – have suspended Purple Sea transits, choosing the longer and dearer Cape route. The logistical affect is substantial: the journey from Jebel Ali Port within the UAE to Hamburg, Germany, is about 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 kilometres) and takes 19 days by way of the Suez Canal. This extends to 11,800 nautical miles (21,850 kilometres) and 35 days by way of the Cape of Good Hope.
