Houthi attacks against ships did not greatly impact consumer demand.  

According to Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of the fifth-largest container carrier, Hapag-Lloyd, the consumer side of the market remains stable. In fact, demand for containers increased. 

“We’ve experienced solid demand, especially since May 1, which is meeting limited available capacity, also due to the situation in the Red Sea,” said Jansen in a press conference. 

Jansen believes the global demand for container space could grow between 3% and 4% year-on-year in 2024, potentially higher due to high Transpacific demand. 

Analysts are optimistic that the container shipping industry, being a rapid market, is able to face the current challenges.  

According to an Alphaliner report, one year ago, the number of inactive ships collectively represented 6.2% of the total, and now it is just 1.5%. This shows how the current situation in the Red Sea has changed the industry's dynamics.