Govt, exporters, shippers discuss Red Sea crisis; Commerce Ministry asks FIEO to share specific issues

09 Feb 2024 Evaluate

The ministries of finance, shipping as well as commerce and industry have discussed problems being faced by exporters due to the Red Sea crisis and the commerce ministry has suggested sharing specific matters for their resolution. There is no adverse impact on the country’s exports due the crisis so far. However, according to exporters, the impact is likely to figure in the numbers of March-April. At present, exporters are executing their old orders and the impact could be visible when they would start getting new export orders.

The commerce ministry asked federation of Indian export organisations (FIEO) to coordinate with all the councils and share the problems ‘with us and those issues can be discussed in weekly meetings with commerce, and finance’. FIEO Director General Ajay Sahai said that freight rates have jumped multiple times. He added ‘High freight rates are impacting the exporting community. We are at dis-advantageous position as compared to countries which are not getting impacted from the crisis’. The exporting community has urged the commerce ministry to intervene in freight rates as the shippers are charging huge amounts. The commerce ministry has also asked the ECGC not to increase the export credit interest rates. State-owned ECGC is an export promotion organisation, seeking to improve the competitiveness of Indian exporters by providing them with credit insurance covers.

The situation around the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping route for traders connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean, has escalated due to attacks by Yemen-based Houthi militants in December 2023. Because of this, the shipping costs have jumped and the consignments are taking more time to reach Europe and the US as the ships are taking the Cape of Good Hope route, encircling Africa. Longer routes are resulting in delays of about 14-20 days and also higher freight and insurance costs. Meanwhile, the country’s exports edged up 1 per cent to $38.45 billion in December 2023 while the trade deficit narrowed to a three-month low of $19.8 billion. Imports declined by 4.85 per cent to $58.25 billion in December last year due to a dip in crude oil shipments.

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