Israeli Logistics Startup Proposes ‘Land Bridge’ Bypassing Red Sea; Overland Trade Route Planned To Help Thwart Houthi Attacks

Amidst the Red Sea crisis, an Israeli logistics start-up Trucknet, has proposed an alternative land bridge that offers a faster and safer alternative for cargo to cross from the Gulf into the Mediterranean.

The 'land bridge,' as its name indicates, consists of a land route for the cargo to leave from either the Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates or the Port of Mina Salman in Bahrain, and make its way to either the Haifa Port in Israel or Port Said in Egypt, passing on land through Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

The transit time will reduce by 80 per cent, compared to maritime routes, according to information in the public domain.

As part of this, the Eilat-based Trucknet signed a memorandum of understanding with Alexandria-based logistics services company WWCS. The company has also signed a cooperation agreement with UAE-based counterpart Puretrans FZCO and DP World of Dubai.

Both the agreements are geared to facilitate the transfer of goods on the land route, from the port of Dubai, through Saudi Arabia and Jordan to Israel, and from there, through the Mediterranean Sea or via land, to Egypt.

Global trade, heavily reliant on container shipping, faces challenges following recent attacks by Yemen-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

In the aftermath, container ships are being rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, leading to a significant increase in both transit time and freight costs.

This indirect route will extend a standard journey from Asia to Europe by nearly 6,000 nautical miles, effectively doubling the travel duration to over two weeks.

As vessels spend more time at sea, their operational efficiency is reduced, necessitating the deployment of additional ships to maintain service levels.