News - World: A new British report confirmed the ongoing impact of Yemeni naval operations on British trade, highlighting increased shipping costs and delays in the delivery of goods carried by UK-linked ships.

On Monday, the British website Sea News published a report stating that "shipping distances have increased by an average of 9% as ships are forced to reroute around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea route. This has led to longer transit times and the need for more ships to transport the same volume of goods."  

The report added, "Due to increased transit times and the need for additional vessels, the number of ships available for cargo transport has significantly decreased." It noted that "shipping companies and businesses are facing rising costs to cover the additional time, fuel, and resources required for extended journeys."  

The report quoted Andrew Thompson, CEO of the Cleveland Group, which offers the widest range of containers in the UK, as saying: "The ongoing impact of the Red Sea crisis on our shipping operations is hard to ignore."  

He added: "Due to the continued devastating attacks, shipping lines are acting on heightened security concerns and are rerouting as a precaution. We expect delays of two to three weeks in the delivery of containers to the UK, which is creating a negative impact on our customers."  

The report also cited the consulting firm Inverto, noting that "retailers across the UK have already been forced to significantly change their purchasing strategies in the lead-up to the Christmas trading period."  

Patrick Lieberhoff, the company's director, said: "This places pressure on retailers themselves, as they stockpile inventory earlier than usual, potentially running out of storage space. As a result, retailers may need to seek short-term temporary storage, which can be extremely costly," according to the report. 

Yemen has declared open support for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the territory’s Palestinian resistance movements carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have said they will not stop their attacks until Israel’s ground and aerial offensives in Gaza end.

So far, Israel has killed at least 43,922 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 103,898 others in Gaza.