Red Sea shipping — why it matters in 3 maps
12% of world trade passes here. Here's why 1 strait can double prices.
Loading map…
Roughly 12% of global trade passes through the Red Sea. Since attacks on commercial shipping began, major carriers have rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 10–14 days and up to $1M in fuel per voyage.
The first map shows the chokepoint itself: the Bab el-Mandeb strait, barely 30 km wide, between Yemen and Djibouti. The second tracks rerouted vessels piling up around the Cape. The third shows the knock-on effect: container spot rates from Asia to Europe, up over 170% in eight weeks.
Insurance premiums for Red Sea transits have risen tenfold. Some carriers still run the strait with naval escort; most won't risk crews. The result is a two-tier shipping system — fast and expensive, or slow and merely pricey.
Why it matters
Everything from car parts to coffee passes through this corridor. Longer routes mean higher prices and emptier shelves, with a lag of 4–8 weeks.
What to watch next
Whether insurers re-rate the corridor in Q4, and whether naval escort missions expand beyond current coalition members.