Red Sea Crisis Spills Over to African Ports, Choking Global Supply Chains, Fuel Exports to US and Europe

Hundreds of merchant ships divert from key waterway to escape Houthi drone and missile attacks but face long delays at Africa’s inefficient harbors.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Carney in Souda Bay, Greece. The American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack on Dec. 3, 2023, in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said. Petty Officer 3rd Class Bill Dodge/U.S. Navy via AP

Attacks on commercial vessels navigating the Red Sea are forcing ships to travel around Africa to transport goods to European and North American markets.

However, major African ports on the continent’s east coast, including Mombasa, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, are too small to handle a large number of big ships in a short period of time.