Shipping firms email Houthis to cross Red Sea safely, wait for 24 hours. This is why

India Today · India Today World Desk · 2026-11-06 14:23 UTC

Shipping operators are emailing a Houthi-run centre for assurances before crossing the Red Sea The informal system reflects mounting risks despite lacking recognised legal authority

Shipping operators are emailing a Houthi-run centre for assurances before crossing the Red Sea. The informal system reflects mounting risks despite lacking recognised legal authority.

The Red Sea has become so dangerous for commercial shipping that some operators are now emailing the very rebels accused of attacking ships there. The Houthis, an Iran-backed Yemeni group, have set up an informal channel through which shipping companies can provide vessel details and seek assurances before crossing the waterway, according to The Wall Street Journal.

While the system has no recognised legal authority, it offers operators another way to assess the risks of sailing through a route that connects the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and carries a major share of global trade.

Read the full story at India Today · All coverage of this story