Shipping company Musk, “contemplating a detour route to South Africa”…concerns about prolonged blockade of the Suez Canal
In case of selecting a detour route, only an additional $300,000 in fuel cost is added.
Egyptian authorities failed to lift a stranded ship… a daily loss of $60,000
[이미지출처=AP연합뉴스]
[아시아경제 이현우 기자] As it is predicted that the blockade of the Suez Canal, which is called the main artery of international logistics, will be prolonged, Musk, the world’s largest shipping company, announced that it would use a bypass route in South Africa. Most other shipping companies are also expected to choose a detour route if the blockade of the Suez Canal is prolonged for more than a week. If a detour route via Cape of Good Hope in South Africa is used, the operating period is extended by at least 7 days, resulting in huge additional fare, which raises concerns about logistics disruption.
According to foreign media such as Bloomberg News on the 25th (local time), Musk, the world’s largest shipping company, said in a statement that “all alternatives including via the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa are being reviewed.” Said. Another large shipping company, Hapa Grod, said, “We are looking for a ship that can bypass the Cape of Good Hope due to the Suez Canal crisis.”
If you choose a detour route via Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, the operating distance will increase by about 9650 km. The operation period of at least 7 to 9 days is added, but if a large oil tanker transports crude oil from the Middle East to Europe, it could cost more than $300,000 (about 340 million won) for fuel, Bloomberg reported.
The reason why shipping companies are considering the use of detour routes despite these concerns about loss is that the Egyptian authorities are not able to disclose the reopening schedule even after the third day of the Suez Canal blockade unexpectedly, and the lifting of stranded ships is seldom progressing. Became known. Egypt’s Suez Canal Administration (SAC) said in a statement on the day that “lifting work by connecting eight tugboats is ongoing,” but it is known that it has failed to move the ship.
SAC said that the tugboats are unable to pull because the weight of the stranded ship is too heavy. According to CNBC, it may take several months because a large crane must be ordered and installed for the unloading operation, and shipping companies will have no choice but to use the bypass route. CNBC reported that the delayed ship operation by one day could result in a loss of about $60,000 for ship owners.
Reporter Lee Hyun-woo [email protected]