---
title: Shipping Lines Fear Houthi Threat on the Red Sea
description: Major container shipping lines have abandoned the return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal as the US-Iran war escalates.
image: https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/hubfs/readsea2.jpg
---

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# Shipping Lines Fear Houthi Threat on the Red Sea

![Daniel](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e)

 Daniel

March 17, 2026

![readdd](https://442310841.fs1.hubspotusercontent-ap1.net/hub/442310841/hubfs/readdd.jpeg?width=1200&length=1200&name=readdd.jpeg)

Major container shipping lines have abandoned the return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal as the US-Iran war escalates.

Many carriers will revert to the Cape of Good Hope diversions, fearing Houthi attacks on commercial fleets. No attacks have been reported yet, but Houthi commanders have ordered attacks on Red Sea shipping in retaliation for attacks on Iran.

The US-Iran war has seen a return of the weaponization of trade and carriers abandoning any large-scale return to the Red Sea in 2026. Gemini and Maersk have cancelled all plans to return to the Suez Canal for their trans-Mediterranean services to India.

CMA CGM has instructed all vessels in the Gulf to proceed to shelter and has suspended all services that transit via the Suez Canal. MSC has also ceased all operations through the Straits of Hormuz and Bab El-Mandeb.

A simultaneous closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Bab El-Mandeb will isolate Gulf ports and compound supply chain risks globally.

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