Hopes of a swift revival in Red Sea trade have been dealt a blow after fresh drone attacks on Port Sudan forced cargo operator Astral Aviation to suspend all flights to the embattled city, as well as to Sanaa in Yemen.
The decision comes just days after a tentative ceasefire between the United States and Yemens Houthi rebels raised expectations of improved maritime security in the region.
Nairobi-based Astral Aviation, one of the few air cargo operators serving conflict-affected areas in East Africa and the Middle East, confirmed the withdrawal of its operations amid escalating threats to air safety and infrastructure.
The carrier, which operates a modest fleet comprising one Boeing 737 and two Boeing 767 freighters, has conducted over 300 humanitarian and commercial cargo flights to Sanaa since 2015, and 100 to Port Sudan since 2023.
The airlines exit from these volatile routes is expected to further strain humanitarian supply chains, many of which rely on aerial deliveries of medical supplies, food aid and relief equipment in regions where road and sea access is either limited or entirely blocked.
We deeply regret having to suspend services to these critical areas, said Sanjeev Gadhia, CEO of Astral Aviation.
However, the security risks to our crew and aircraft have become untenable. The safety of our personnel must remain paramount.
The disruption is particularly acute in Sudan, where ongoing civil conflict has devastated infrastructure and displaced millions.
Port Sudan, the country's principal Red Sea gateway, had served as a lifeline for international agencies attempting to bring relief to the war-torn interior.
Aid groups are now scrambling to find alternative logistics channels, with some considering transhipments via Djibouti or chartering emergency flights into less volatile airstrips options that are both costlier and slower.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA issued a brief statement acknowledging the operational setback, urging all parties to the conflict to respect the neutrality of humanitarian actors and critical logistics infrastructure.
This latest turn of events underscores the fragile and fragmented nature of logistics in conflict zones, where even modest progress such as the recent ceasefire can be swiftly overshadowed by new threats. For now, while ocean freight may soon begin to flow again through the Suez corridor, the skies over Sudan and Yemen remain closed to one of their most steadfast cargo lifelines.
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