Iran’s attack on Israel marks a
distinct escalation in hostilities by bringing the two nations into direct
conflict.
There is a concern about the probability of a Persian Gulf shutdown,
though many maintain hope of defusing fierce tension in the region, a delegate
at the opening of Singapore Maritime Week on Monday,15 Aapril told PTI.
The diversion of each ship is
estimated to cost USD 30 million through the Cape of Good Hope from the Suez
Canal, according to Danish Sultan, managing director of PacMarine Services in
Singapore. Shipping costs have already
gone up by three to four times compared to pre-COVID level, Colin Er
Wen-Jie, director of the transport department at the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corp said at the Singapore Maritime conference being held April 15-19 and being
attended by over 10,000 delegates.
The Iranian threat had led to worldwide diplomatic initiatives to thwart
a possible further conflagration in the region already struggling with Israel’s
offensive in Gaza following a terror attack carried out by Hamas in its
territory on October 7 and also regular exchange of fire between the Jewish
state and Lebanese Shia faction Hezbollah, which joined the war in solidarity
with Hamas.