Cosco to stop booking ships to Israel as Houthi threats grow

Tel Aviv – Container shipping giant China Cosco Shipping is to stop delivering goods into Israel because of the

threats and attacks that Houthi militants have made against vessels that sail there.

Mr Amir Shani, deputy president at the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce, an umbrella organisation for more than 5,000 businesses, said that Cosco informed his organisation’s member firms of the decision. A source with knowledge of the matter confirmed Cosco will not take bookings into Israel from next week.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry will discuss Cosco’s move with the Chinese ambassador soon, according to an Israeli source familiar with the matter who requested to remain anonymous due to the matter’s sensitivity. It will not be the only matter discussed during the meeting.

The Houthis,

siding with Hamas in its war with Israel

, are going after merchant ships that have any ties to Tel Aviv, even if those connections sometimes look tenuous at best. The attacks – including drones, missiles and hijackings – have made numerous owners avoid the southern Red Sea and, by extension, Egypt’s Suez Canal. Hundreds of vessels are now sailing around Africa instead.

Cosco’s decision goes a step further and means at least one huge shipping company is now unwilling to send boxloads of goods to Israel. The Houthis have carried out at least 24 attacks on merchant ships since Nov 19, according to US Central Command.

Israeli media reported Cosco’s decision at the weekend. Cosco’s head office in Beijing asked for questions to be sent by e-mail, which was not immediately answered.

No Cosco vessels appear to have been attacked in the southern Red Sea, based on a cross-checking of information from security intelligence firm Ambrey and a shipping database maintained for the International Maritime Organisation.

Cosco has a fleet of at least 256 container ships on the water, according to data from Clarkson Research Services, a unit of the world’s largest shipbroker. That ranks it third in terms of in-service vessels. It is fourth when including vessels on order. BLOOMBERG