Red sea port calls drop by 85% in 2024

Posted on September 16, 2024   |  

Deep-sea port calls in the Red Sea dropped by 85% on average in 2024, heavily affecting container shipping.

Ports near the Suez Canal, like those in the East Mediterranean (East MED), the Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea, saw significant decreases in activity.

East MED experienced a 22% drop in port calls in January 2024, with a total 33% decrease compared to before the crisis.

The Gulf of Aden also saw a 33% drop in monthly port calls, going from around 100 to 60-70 in 2024, with a slow recovery afterward.

Jeddah and King Abdullah Port in the Red Sea were hit the hardest. King Abdullah Port had no deep-sea calls in January 2024, and Jeddah’s port calls dropped by 74% from December 2023 to January 2024.

By July 2024, Jeddah’s port calls slightly improved to 37 per month, still far below the pre-crisis average of 135.

In East MED, ports like Piraeus and Port Said were severely affected, while Salalah in the Gulf of Aden saw port calls cut by 50% in early 2024.

Delays for vessels arriving at these ports improved, dropping from 10-14 days in January 2024 to 4-5 days by mid-year.