On the first day of 2024, happy New Year's Day, let's take a look at the important overseas news of the holiday with Jianwenjun: According to **, a Maersk container ship was attacked by missiles from the Houthis in Yemen while passing through the Red Sea on Saturday. On Sunday, Houthi vessels surrounded the ship and attempted to force boarding, but were repelled by the U.S. Navy and the ship's security team that came to the rescue. Maersk announced a 48-hour suspension of vessel passage through the Bab el-Mandeb StraitAs the world's largest container shipping company, Maersk's every move has attracted the attention of the global shipping industry. John Kartsonas, managing partner of chain and shipping research firm Breakw, said that if Maersk decides to extend the current outage beyond a few days, other companies in the industry could follow suit. Maersk ships were attacked twice, and the US Navy exchanged fire with the Houthis, markedThere has been a marked escalation of tensions in the Red Sea, highlighting the spillover effects of more Middle East crises. 
Maersk ships were attacked twice and escaped twiceThe Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou reported a missile attack on the ship as it crossed the southern Red Sea at around 8:30 p.m. local time Saturday, U.S. Command said. After the attack, the ship requested assistance, and two U.S. ships, USS Laboon and USS GR, responded with the latter successfully shooting down two anti-ship ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled territory. Subsequently, Maersk confirmed the details of the incident in a statement. While the ship was passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on its way from Singapore to the Egyptian port of Suez, the crew observed some "flashes" on the deck. The vessel and crew are reported to be safe. The statement said:
"At around 6:30 p.m. CET, when the ship was 55 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, crew members reported observing flashes on deck. But there is no ** sign on board, and we are currently working to ascertain the full details of the incident. The ship is fully maneuverable and continues north. ”On Sunday, the Maersk Hangzhou was attacked by four more Houthi boats. The boat approached the vessel** and attempted to force boarding, and an exchange of fire ensued with the ship's security team. After the ship sent another distress signal, the U.S. Navy *** arrived and engaged the boats, sinking three of the four boats within 20 meters of the ship and killing the crew. Maersk then announced that it would suspend the passage of ships through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait for 48 hours. The U.S. Command statement added that there was no damage and no U.S. personnel were injured in the exchange of fire with the Houthis. A spokesman for the Houthis said 10 members were dead or missing. The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, have been attacking merchant ships in the Red Sea since October, saying they are retaliation for Israel's military offensive in Gaza. They said their attacks on Israeli ships or ships heading to Israel would continue until Israel lifted its siege on Gaza. At one point, a number of shipping companies announced that they would divert their routes to bypass this route.
The risk intensifies, and if Maersk extends the shutdown, more companies will followAt the moment, everyone is closely watching the situation at Maersk. John Kartsonas, managing partner of chain and shipping research firm Breakw, said that if Maersk decides to extend the current outage beyond a few days, other companies in the industry could follow suit. After the Houthi attack, large cargo ships passing through the Suez Canal changed course and instead detoured southern Africa. These large cargo ships carry about 12% of the world's cargo. Everstream Analytics, which analyzes the chain, said this month that every 14 container ships and tankers on the main route between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea are being diverted to the south. According to the analysis, the United States exchanged fire with the HouthisIt exacerbates the risks of shipping in the Red Sea and will have a ripple effect on the global ** chain. Robert Khachatryan, CEO of Freight Right Global Logistics in Los Angeles, said: "This is definitely an upgrade that is going to change things. "There are a lot of ships passing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal," he said, "and it is impossible for the army to escort every ship." And even with escorts, they can still be hit by missiles from the interior. Analysts said that it was partly affected by tensions in the Middle EastGlobal shipping rates are expected to soar in 2024. Margaret Kidd, director of the Chain and Logistics Technology Program and associate professor of teaching at the University of Houston, said freight rates from Asia to Mediterranean ports have jumped to $2,500 from $1,500 containers in October. Kidd said the risks of shipping in the Red Sea are intensifying as the shipping industry recovers from pandemic challenges and the cost of transporting goods around the world soars.