Singapore Port Container Logjam Worsens as Ships Avoid Red Sea
- Route around Africa pushes more maritime traffic to city-state
- Port’s utilization rate at 90% compared with 70% optimum level
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Singapore’s port, already one of the busiest in the world, is facing a sustained period of congestion as vessel diversions to avoid the Red Sea push more container ships to the Asian maritime hub.
The attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels have resulted in shipowners opting not to transit the Suez canal and taking the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. That means they don’t get a chance to refuel or unload cargo at ports in the Middle East, leading to worsening marine gridlock in the waters off Singapore.