The Red Sea crisis is delaying the shipments of US retailer Target from India and Pakistan.

The extended transit times being experienced by the vessel operators, as they co-ordinate with shippers to redirect merchandise around the Suez Canal, is increasing both time and costs for Targets. 

Transit times for retailers around the globe have increased with the disruption of trade routes on one of the world’s most important shipping routes. These disruptions have been caused due the attacks on vessels in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthi militants.

To avoid these disruptions, many retailers are seeking air or rail alternatives to stock up goods.

Target sources its garment products from suppliers in India and Pakistan. These products are typically shipped through the Suez Canal. Most of the retailers’ products are sourced from China. These are shipped directly across the Pacific Ocean to West Coast ports, unaffected by the disruptions in the Middle East.