The operation of Israel's international shipping port has completely stagnated

The conflict has caused huge losses to Israel's port trade. According to local media statistics, the direct economic losses have reached as high as US $3 billion. Among them, Eilat Port, the only port in southern Israel that directly connects with the Red Sea, has completely interrupted its import and export business.

The port of Eilat, Israel's only southern port to the Red Sea and one of the country's most critical trading ports to the Asia-Pacific region, has suffered as Yemen's Houthi armed forces repeatedly fired long-range missiles at Eilat in support of the Palestinian Gaza Strip, and has come to a complete standstill after the Houthi armed forces claimed to have launched attacks on Israeli ships.

Eilat's main business is to import cars and export potash fertilizer to the Asia-Pacific region. According to Eilat Port, nearly half of Israel's annual car imports in recent years are done through Eilat Port.

The disruption of freight caused by the escalation of the Red Sea situation has caused huge economic losses to Eilat Port. Apart from the sharp drop in revenue, the direct loss caused by maintaining the basic operation of the port is as high as US $3 million per month. Gideon, CEO of Eilat Port of Israel, said that the current situation of the port can only last until February this year. If the Israeli government still has no way to solve the relevant difficulties after that, they will have to consider layoffs and closing some businesses.

In fact, at least 30% of the imported goods from Haifa Port and Ashdod Port, the top two ports in Israel, need to pass through the Red Sea and reach Israel through Suez Canal. According to the data of Israel Port Authority, in the fourth quarter of 2023, affected by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Red Sea situation, the number of imported cars in Ashdod Port dropped sharply by 94%, while the transshipment scope of all Israeli seaports dropped sharply by 70%. 

以色列国际海运港口运营完全陷入停滞状态

       冲突令以色列的港口贸易遭受巨大损失。据当地媒体统计，直接经济损失已高达30亿美元。其中，以色列南部唯一直接连通红海的港口埃拉特港，其进出口业务更是因此完全中断。

       埃拉特港是以色列南部通往红海的唯一出海口，也是该国通往亚太地区最关键的贸易港口之一。随着也门胡塞武装为声援巴勒斯坦加沙地带，多次向埃拉特发射远程导弹，当地港口业务逐渐受到影响，而在胡塞武装宣称对以色列船只发动袭击之后，港口的运营更是完全陷入停滞。

       埃拉特港最主要的业务就是针对亚太地区进口汽车和出口钾肥。据埃拉特港方面介绍，近年来以色列每年接近一半的汽车进口都是通过埃拉特港完成。

       红海局势升级导致的货运中断，已经给埃拉特港造成巨大经济损失。除了收入锐减之外，仅维持港口基本运营而产生的直接损失每月就高达300万美元。以色列埃拉特港首席执行官吉迪恩表示以目前港口的状况，只能坚持到今年2月，如果之后以色列政府仍没有办法解决相关困难，他们就不得不考虑进行裁员并关闭部分业务。

       事实上，以色列前两大港口海法港和阿什杜德港的进口货物中，也有至少30%需要经过红海、通过苏伊士运河到达以色列。根据以色列港口管理局的数据，2023年第四季度，受巴以冲突和红海局势影响，阿什杜德港进口汽车数量锐减94%，以色列全部海港的转运范围则大幅减少70%。