As an article in Transport Europe explains, based on research by Sea-Intelligence, transits through the Suez Canal, with the Red Sea being subjected to constant missile and drone attacks by the Yemenite Houthis, are slowing down as well as the circumnavigation of Africa. This means longer distances for large container ships, which has an impact on the time and costs of maritime transport, which differ depending on the port of destination. Sea-Intelligence’s research assessed transit times between sub-regions in the first quarter of 2024, comparing them with the second half of 2023: two from Asia (North and South-East), three from Northern Europe and three from the Mediterranean (East, West and Central), the area most affected by the lack of transit through the Suez Canal. In maritime connections between South-East Asia and the Mediterranean, the average minimum transit time increased, with the Red Sea crisis, by as much as 61%-63% to Eastern Mediterranean ports and 39%-40% to Central Mediterranean ports, where Italian ports of call are also located.

Source: https://www.polimerica.it/articolo.asp?id=31915