Brian Rich

An estimated 12% of global trade worth more than $1 trillion traverses the Red Sea each year. When Houthi rebels started attacking commercial vessels in November 2023, ocean carriers began rerouting container ships around Africa’s Cape of Good Horn rather than through the Suez Canal on voyages from Asia to Europe. That greatly increased travel time and costs. As of March of this year, shipping through the Red Sea was still down 70% from before the attacks began, according to The Economist, with many ocean carriers still avoiding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Peninsula. Maritime Industry Caught in the Crosshairs Houthi rebels launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The Houthis attacked more than 100 cargo ships between November 2023 and January 2025. The attacks, with missiles and drones, sunk two vessels and killed four sailors. In late October 2024, a headline in gCaptain read, “Red Sea Is Now So Dangerous Even NATO Warships Are Avoiding It.” “The United States Navy continues to send warships through the Red Sea, but its mission to protect merchant ships – Operation Prosperity…

Turn data into insight – map, monitor, and mitigate fortced labor risks across your value chain. Since the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) went into effect in 2022, sub-tier supply chain visibility has become an increasingly critical and ubiquitous prerequisite for import compliance. Automotive companies, due in no small part to their highly complex supply chains, are among the hardest hit by this requirement of anti-forced labor and ESG regulations. A recent study by Sayari analysts found that 95% of leading OEMs’ exposure to forced labor risk comes from sub-tier suppliers. The ability to identify and mitigate risks throughout their value chains is critical for OEMs aiming to minimize operational disruptions, avoid detentions, and maintain competitive advantage. Download the report to learn how Sayari is overcoming barriers to supply chain visibility, enabling OEMs to map their sub-tier supply chains, identify indirect exposure to forced labor risk, and foster greater supply chain resilience in an increasingly dynamic trade landscape. DOWNLOAD NOW