Global container line, AP Moller-Maersk hopes the presence of naval forces in the Red Sea in addition to political action will allow vessels to resume transiting the Middle East waterway, a major international link between the Indian subcontinent, Asia and Europe.

According to Tradewinds, the Danish-owned Maersk is among several prominent container shipping lines to have suspended its vessels using the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, due to Yemen’s Houthi rebels that have threatened and carried out attacks on merchant ships.

Both the UK and USA have taken military action, having launched more than 60 airstrikes against Houthi targets early on Friday (today, 12 Jan.) in an attempt to try and prevent further attacks in the Red Sea.

In an email to Reuters issued by Maersk they said “We hope that these interventions and a larger naval presence will eventually lead to a lowered threat environment allowing maritime commerce to transit through the Red Sea and once again return to using the Suez Canal as a gateway”

Also today, the multinational Combined Maritime Forces have advised international merchant ships plying the Bab el-Mandeb strait (between Yemen, Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea, Horn of Africa) to stay clear following a bombing campaign in Yemen.

The 70 mile long strait is where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aden, which by extension links the Indian Ocean. Notably, the narrow-most point along the strait is just short of 16 nautical miles.

More here on the development in the region.