Shipping Lines Extend Routes as Red Sea Disruption Strains Schedules and Capacity

What started as a temporary rerouting decision is quietly becoming the new operating model.

Attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have forced carriers to divert around the Cape of Good Hope, with Reuters reporting that “rerouting a ship around Africa adds roughly 10 days and $1 million in fuel costs.” Bloomberg has also noted that “the diversions are stretching global shipping capacity and driving up freight rates.” In practice, this has extended typical Asia–Europe transit times from around 30–35 days to closer to 40–45 days on key routes.

In response to a query from The Supply Chainer, Hanja Maria Richter, Manager COO Communications at Hapag-Lloyd, said: “Since Oct 2024 we are rerouting our services via the Cape of Good hope instead of going through the Suez Canal. We still closely monitor and analyze the latest developments and their impact on the security situation in the Red Sea. We will only return to the Red Sea when it is safe to do so.”

Hanja Maria Richter, Manager COO Communications at Hapag-Lloyd

Longer routes, tighter schedules

That shift is now embedded in how services are run. Longer voyages mean vessels are tied up for extended periods, forcing carriers to deploy additional ships to maintain weekly sailings. Industry analysis suggests that some Asia–Europe loops now require two to three extra vessels per rotation, increasing operating costs and tightening available capacity elsewhere in the network.

Richter added: “With the Middle East conflict, we have also temporarily suspended selected services via the Strait of Hormuz, and are offering alternative solutions via safer ports and inland connections - although these cannot fully replace regular routes and remain limited in capacity. Outside that region, the broader network is operating largely as planned.”

The result is a network that continues to function, but with less room to absorb disruption. Missed port windows are harder to recover, and delays tend to carry through subsequent sailings.

Knock-on effects for planning

For shippers, the impact shows up in timing rather than routing decisions. Less predictable arrival windows make it harder to coordinate inland transport and warehouse capacity, while longer lead times push companies to carry more inventory or accept gaps in supply.

Spot freight rates have also moved higher during peak disruption periods. Data from market indices such as Drewry’s World Container Index and Freightos suggest increases of roughly 20–40% on key Asia–Europe lanes, reflecting both longer routes and tighter vessel availability.

Visibility becomes critical

While carriers are adjusting networks, freight forwarders are dealing with the downstream effects. In a written response to The Supply Chainer, Signe Wagner, Global Head Media Relations at Kuehne+Nagel, said: “In a volatile environment of potential route disruptions, supply-chain resilience depends on flexibility, visibility, and integrated planning.”

She added: “Visibility is equally critical. Real-time shipment tracking, predictive analytics, and scenario planning support better decision-making under uncertainty.”

Signe Wagner, Global Head Media Relations at Kuehne+Nagel

Kuehne+Nagel also noted: “We expect disruptions like these to further accelerate the shift towards more resilient and flexible supply chains.”

Rerouting, longer transit times, and wider delivery windows are no longer treated as short-term exceptions. They are increasingly built into how supply chains are planned and executed.