Only Grain Ships from Black Sea and for Iran Still Crossing Red Sea, Analysts Say

Cargo ships are seen from a patrol boat of Ukraine?s coast guard as they sail in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, February 7, 2024. (Reuters)
Cargo ships are seen from a patrol boat of Ukraine?s coast guard as they sail in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, February 7, 2024. (Reuters)
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Only Grain Ships from Black Sea and for Iran Still Crossing Red Sea, Analysts Say

Cargo ships are seen from a patrol boat of Ukraine?s coast guard as they sail in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, February 7, 2024. (Reuters)
Cargo ships are seen from a patrol boat of Ukraine?s coast guard as they sail in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, February 7, 2024. (Reuters)

Grain ships originating from the Black Sea or bound for Iran are about the only ones still sailing through the Red Sea as Houthi militants continue to attack vessels in the area, analysts said on Friday.

The attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthis have disrupted global shipping since November and forced firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa.

"Just about all (dry bulk grain) vessels going from the Americas and western Europe are avoiding the Red Sea, the only exception is vessels going to Iran, they're still taking the Red Sea route when shorter," said Ishan Bhanu, lead agricultural commodities analyst at data provider and analysts Kpler.

"All vessels we are tracking going from the Black Sea to Asia are going through the Red Sea, almost without exception," he added.

Grain transit through the Suez Canal hit a low of 2.6 million metric tons in February, down from 5.3 million tons in February 2023, Bhanu estimated.

The United States and other countries have sent naval vessels to protect civilian ships while the US and UK have launched air strikes against Houthi forces, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza.

"The Red Sea naval operation and air strikes have been going on for weeks now and it is pretty obvious that the Houthi attacks cannot be stopped easily by military means or that commercial ships can be given blanket protection," said one grain trader booking vessels to export cargoes from Europe.

"Many ship owners are still willing to accept the danger to their ships and vessels still can be booked for Red Sea sailings. Chinese purchases of Ukrainian corn recently are expected to transit the Red Sea."



Biden to Lobby Trump Administration Not to Walk Away from Ukraine

 US President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, US, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
US President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, US, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Biden to Lobby Trump Administration Not to Walk Away from Ukraine

 US President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, US, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)
US President Joe Biden meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, US, September 26, 2024. (Reuters)

US President Joe Biden will discuss top domestic and foreign policy priorities with President-elect Donald Trump when the two meet on Wednesday, and lobby the incoming administration not to abandon Ukraine, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday.

Republican Trump will take office on Jan. 20 after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 presidential election. Biden invited Trump to come to the Oval Office on Wednesday, the White House said.

In an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation" show, Sullivan said Biden's top message will be his commitment to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, and he will also talk to Trump about what's happening in Europe, in Asia and the Middle East.

"The President will have the chance to explain to President Trump how he sees things, where they stand, and talk to President Trump about how President Trump is thinking about taking on these issues when he takes office," Sullivan said.

A key topic will likely be Ukraine's war with Russia, which Trump has pledged to end swiftly although he did not say how.

"President Biden will have the opportunity over the next 70 days to make the case to the Congress and to the incoming administration that the United States should not walk away from Ukraine, that walking away from Ukraine means more instability in Europe," Sullivan said.

When asked if that means Biden will ask Congress to pass legislation to authorize more funding for Ukraine, Sullivan deferred.

"I'm not here to put forward a specific legislative proposal. President Biden will make the case that we do need ongoing resources for Ukraine beyond the end of his term," Sullivan said.

Washington has provided tens of billions of dollars worth of US military and economic aid to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in February of 2022, funding that Trump has repeatedly criticized and rallied against with other Republican lawmakers.

Trump insisted last year that Russian President Vladimir Putin never would have invaded Ukraine if he had been in the White House at the time. He told Reuters Ukraine may have to cede territory to reach a peace agreement, something the Ukrainians reject and Biden has never suggested.