The Danish shipping group IB Moller-Maersk decided to impose additional risk fees on container shipments to Israel to cover increased insurance premiums due to the security situation starting from the beginning of next year.
This comes after the Yemeni Houthi group recently targeted Israeli ships, in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected for two months to a devastating Israeli aggression that led to the death of more than 16,000, most of them children and women, in addition to the major destruction of various vital facilities and the displacement of the population.
Maersk – the world’s largest container transport company – said in a statement today, Thursday, that by 2024, insurance premiums for ships heading to the ports of Haifa and Ashdod in Israel will continue to rise, which led to the need for Maersk to formally implement an additional emergency risk fee.
The company added that the additional fees that will be applied as of January 8, 2024 will be used to absorb additional insurance costs and ensure continuous and sustainable service to the company’s customers in Israel.
The company explained that it had been closely monitoring the situation in Israel since last October, taking the necessary measures to ensure the safety of its employees, noting that two months ago, it subjected all ships arriving to Israeli ports to increased insurance premiums due to the ongoing risks in and around the region. This enabled it to keep operations running as stably as possible.
It should be noted that on November 19, the Houthis took control of the Israeli ship Galaxy Leader and took it and its crew to the Yemeni coast.
On the 25th of the same month, a Yemeni drone attacked the Kalandar ship, owned by the Israeli company Zim. Two days ago, a Yemeni march bombed two Israeli ships in the Red Sea.
The group reiterates that it continues to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden until the Israeli aggression against “our steadfast brothers in Gaza” stops.
These operations forced Israeli ships to take more expensive shipping routes around Africa.
Reports in the Israeli press reported – last Tuesday – that Israel and the United States are considering forming a special operations force in the Red Sea, in response to Houthi attacks on Israeli ships.
According to reports, Tel Aviv approached countries, including Britain and Japan, to form a special operations force to operate in the Red Sea.
The White House announced on Monday that Washington may form a military force to escort commercial ships in the Red Sea.
