Maersk made the forecast on Monday based on data from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi fighters on merchant ships in the Red Sea. Houthi fighters have said that by blocking cargo ships from reaching Israel, they are showing support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The attacks have forced several major commercial shipping firms, including Maersk, to indefinitely cancel voyages through the crucial Red Sea corridor that connects the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.
As a result, shipping companies now have to take a much longer route around the southern Cape of Africa, resulting in longer journeys and additional costs.
According to Maersk, the situation in the Red Sea is causing ship congestion and loss of life. To compensate for these problems, Maersk said in a statement on Monday that it has increased the speed of its vessels by chartering more than 125,000 additional containers.
According to the company, overhead costs have to be reimbursed to customers.
Maersk is the world’s second largest container shipping company, second only to MSC.
