5 February 2024 (Lloyd's List) - CMA CGM has paused Red Sea voyages that cross the Bab el Mandeb, becoming the last of the major carriers to avoid the dangerous transit.

A spokesman for the French liner company confirmed to Lloyd’s List that transits via the southern area of the Red Sea were now suspended until further notice.

Vessels owned by or operated by CMA CGM were still transiting the Red Sea as late as last week.

The vessels were operating under French naval escorts, but this was not enough to prevent a near miss when the 8,585 teu Koi (IMO: 9461489) suffered a near miss when two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched towards the vessel last Thursday.

Earlier in the year, the 9,365 teu CMA CGM Tage (IMO: 9674555) was also targeted but CMA CGM had persevered with transits despite the risks.

The latest appears to have been the last straw, however.

AIS data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence now shows no CMA CGM vessels transiting the Arabian Sea towards the Bab el Mandeb, but several of its larger vessels can bee seen routing south after the Strait of Malacca to take the long route around the Cape of Good Hope.

There are still CMA CGM vessels entering the Red Sea via the Suez Canal, but these are predominantly vessels destined for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, which has to date been out of range of Houthi attacks on shipping.

Nevertheless, there are vessels that now appear to be stuck in the Red Sea that will have to return via Suez to take the round-Africa route. These include its flagship 23,000 teu CMA CGM Jacques Saade (IMO: 9839179), which was last reported drifting south west of Jeddah last Wednesday.

However its latest AIS data was reported on Thursday and it is possible that it had been waiting for a naval escort before going dark, and has since transited.

But the 9,661 teu CMA CGM Orfeo (IMO: 9364992), which is destined for Port Klang in Malaysia, remains off Jeddah, as does CMA CGM Tage, which appears to have been on its return journey to Asia.

Before last week, data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence shows that at least six vessels operated by CMA CGM had transited the Bab el Mandeb in the week ending January 28, down from 11 the previous week.