Global Shipping Crisis: Key Trade Routes Blocked

Iran and Houthi rebels are blocking major paths for ships. This is making everything more expensive and hurting small businesses.

Two of the most important paths for ships in the world are currently blocked. Iran and the Houthi rebels are behind the disruptions. These areas are known as 'chokepoints'—basically narrow strips of water that ships must pass through to deliver goods around the globe. Because these routes are blocked, ships are having to take much longer paths to reach their destinations. This makes the whole process much slower and much more expensive. Experts say the impact is hitting small businesses the hardest. When it costs more to ship parts or products, the prices in your local stores go up. It als…