MADRID (Reuters) - The volume of goods moving through Spanish ports rose by 6% in 2024 after they became the first point of call in Europe for many companies avoiding attacks by Houthi militia on shipping in the Red Sea and sending their goods around southern Africa.

An explosion has struck a Hong Kong-flagged container ship traveling north through the Red Sea. It sparked a major fire that forced its crew to abandon the vessel.

Supply chains have had to deal with higher shipping costs, product delivery delays, and increased carbon emissions as a result of this diversion. The Gaza ceasefire gave some hope that the disruption would finally end. But shipping lines will not hurry back to the region until long-term security is guaranteed.

The Navy’s surface fleet has spent the past 15 months taking down hundreds of missiles and drones fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels at U.S. and allied Navies’ ships, as well as commercial vessels in and around the Red Sea.

Shipping companies expressed caution about using the shorter route between Asia and Europe that many ships have avoided for more than a year.

Six ships linked to the U.S. and U.K. have successfully transited the area without coming under attack since January 19.

Mandeb strait decreased by 50% after the Yemeni rebels launched maritime attacks, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

European forces joined the US Navy last year in an effort to defend key shipping lanes from Houthi rebel attacks.

MAG Group Holding, a leading real estate group based in Dubai, has been selected by AD Ports Group as lead developer for the first phase of Marsa Zayed, a major beachfront resort and residential community coming up on the Red Sea in Aqaba, Jordan.

U.S. ships are returning to the Red Sea following promises from Yemen’s Houthi rebels to abstain from attacks on American and British vessels. The pledge, which comes after more than a year of

CAIRO (Reuters) - A fire aboard the Hong Kong-flagged ASL Bauhinia on Tuesday was not linked to Houthi attacks, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Joint Maritime Information Center said on Wednesday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, JMIC said. A maritime security source told Reuters that the fire resulted from hazardous cargo on board.