Re-routing of container Ships

[rov1100]

Because of the trouble in Egypt shipping companies are avoiding the Suez Canal which is a shortcut to Europe. The alternative is to send them round the coast of Africa.
Will the Somali pirates now have a field day as these ships will be using an area that has been heavily pirated and almost impossible to protect?

[Milvus]

I'd have thought they are more likely to be safer as Somalia is at the end of the Suez Canal - Red Sea transit, not the West/South Coast of Africa

[jno]

as Milvus said. It will depend where the ships are coming from, but assuming it's from the Gulf then they'll probably just aim at the general area of Madagascar, far out to sea from Somalia. They'd be much nearer Somalia if they were heading for Suez.

[eyethenkyew]

Not the way I heard it on the news earlier: by all accounts the Suez Canal's still open to shipping with no sort of disruption at all?

[naomi24]

I haven't heard anything about that either. Have you got a link?

[Ankou]

just a consideration at the mo, nothing certain.

http://af.reuters.com...idAFL3E7D10G720110201

the south koreans are known for raiding the somalian boats and dragging the pirates back for prosecution.

[jno]

it's obviously something to worry about, and plan for, but at the moment it doesn't appear the canal is having problems

http://www.bloomberg....-gather-in-cairo.html

Tomorrow, who knows?