The kids Obama attempted to bomb in Yemen all those years ago grew up fast. They’ve now formed surprisingly efficient militias who hate the West and have become powerful enough to impact global trade. Yemeni Houthi rebels are blocking carriers from passing through the Suez Canal and have created near pandemic-level disruptions to the supply chain.
The militia is currently in route to the Suez Canal via the Red Sea. There has been a 25% drop in commercial traffic through the Suez Canal since November. They were initially targeted shipping liners linked to Israel, but began targeting everyone by December. International shipping liners are doing everything to avoid passing through the Gulf of Aden and South Africa. This has completely altered trade between Europe and Asia as the trip is significantly longer.
Longer trips equate to higher shipping costs. The cost to move a 40-foot container from Asia to Northern Europe now costs $4,000 – a 173% increase. The route from Asia to the US have risen by about 55% since December at around $3,900. The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI), a different calculation for the cost of goods shipped from China, believes costs have skyrocketed 161% since December 15, 2023.
So far, 18 companies have rerouted their orders to avoid the conflict. Shipping rates are now DOUBLE 2019 pre-pandemic levels. The IMF believes 3.1% of ALL world trade is fleeing the Red Sea.
The price of goods will rise, and that will be passed onto consumers; inflation will rise. Governments will be forced to step in to prevent the Houthis from further disrupting world trade. Lives will be lost. And now the West has a valid reason to begin the Israeli canal that they’ve been envisioning for years. This is only the beginning of what will be a violently expensive situation that will send ripple effects throughout the global economy.