Satellites reveal trade route shifts due to Red Sea crisis

2023-2024
The Israel-Hamas conflict triggered attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden by the Yemen-based Houthi movement, disrupting trade operations and leading to the re-routing of vessels away from the Red Sea through the Cape of Good Hope.

We developed a method to isolate the contribution of ship emissions in the satellite observations of NO2 from the TROPOMI satellite sensor. This method is used to assess the impact of the Red Sea shipping crisis on NO2 levels along major shipping routes between Asia, Middle East and Europe.
Shipping activities release substantial amounts of nitrogen oxides. Image credits National Maritime Foundation.