Maersk Extends Suspension of Red Sea Passage

(FILES) Containers of Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk are seen in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 14, 2023. (Photo by SERGEI GAPON / AFP)
(FILES) Containers of Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk are seen in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 14, 2023. (Photo by SERGEI GAPON / AFP)
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Maersk Extends Suspension of Red Sea Passage

(FILES) Containers of Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk are seen in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 14, 2023. (Photo by SERGEI GAPON / AFP)
(FILES) Containers of Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk are seen in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 14, 2023. (Photo by SERGEI GAPON / AFP)

Shipping giant Maersk said on Tuesday it would not resume passage through a key Red Sea strait "until further notice," after Yemeni houthis attacked one of its merchant ships.

"We have decided to pause all transits through the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden until further notice," Maersk said in a statement.

"In cases where it makes most sense for our customers, vessels will be rerouted and continue their journey around the Cape of Good Hope," the company added.

On Sunday, the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container vessel en route from Singapore to Port Suez in Egypt, reported being struck by a missile while transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

It was then attacked by four ships operated by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, which "engaged fire in an expected attempt to board the vessel", the Danish shipping company said.

The US military said navy helicopters sank three of the ships while the fourth fled.

Following the incident on Sunday, Maersk announced it was immediate halting use of the route until January 2.

With 12 percent of world trade passing through it, according to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the Red Sea is a "crucial waterway" linking the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, and hence Europe to Asia.

Some 20,000 ships pass through the Suez Canal every year, the gateway for ships entering and leaving the zone.

This is the second time that Maersk has suspended shipping through the strait.

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Saudi Mining Licenses Reach 2,401 by End of 2024

Saudi Mining Licenses Reach 2,401 by End of 2024
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Saudi Mining Licenses Reach 2,401 by End of 2024

Saudi Mining Licenses Reach 2,401 by End of 2024

The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced on Sunday that the number of valid mining licenses in the Kingdom has reached 2,401 by the end of 2024.

The licenses cover various categories, including mining, exploration, reconnaissance, building materials quarries, and small mine operations.

According to the 2024 Mining Sector Indicators Bulletin, issued by the National Industrial and Mining Information Center, the majority of these licenses were granted for building materials quarries (1,481), followed by exploration (642), mining and small mining exploitation (215), reconnaissance (41), and surplus mineral ore extraction (22).

The bulletin serves as a critical tool for monitoring developments in the mining sector, tracking both existing and newly issued licenses across various regions of the Kingdom. By boosting transparency and providing accurate data, the initiative supports investors and decision-makers in making informed choices that contribute to the sector’s growth and sustainability.