Houthi threats send vessels south around the cape

The bridge of the ‘Hanoi Express’. Economists link Houthi attacks to global inflation, with importers worried the rising costs may become permanent. — ©2025 The New York Times Company

BEFORE last year, Tobias Kammann, a German container ship captain, had only once sailed around the southern tip of Africa, and the lack of other vessels in the little-trafficked waters made him feel very much alone.

But these days, there are so many ships there, he said, that “it’s a bit like the autobahn”.