Clerc

Vincent Clerc called for a "stronger mobilisation" to repel the attacks, which he said would lead to higher prices for customers.

The Red Sea is "one of the most important arteries of global trade" Mr Clerc told the BBC.

"We have ships that are being shot at. We have colleagues whose lives are at risk when this happens and we can simply not justify sailing through these danger zones, the way the situation is right now", Mr Clerc said.

"It will be more costly, it will be slower, but it can be coped with in the long run...Shipping prices have gone up as a result, because of an anticipation of congestion and fear of lacking capacity in the short run," Mr Clerc added.

Those costs are already being passed to consumers in the form of higher prices "which in these times of inflation is really something that we need to try to avoid," Mr Clerc told the BBC.