Following the attacks on merchant ships by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the French shipping giant CMA CGM has announced that it is now avoiding the Red Sea route. The passage of ships through the Bab al-Mandab strait on the Red Sea has been suspended, a spokesman for the shipping company said in Marseille on Friday. The decision follows attacks on several ships this week, including a convoy of ships operated by CMA CGM. CMA CGM is one of the largest container shipping companies in the world. The Red Sea is one of the most important shipping routes for global trade, as it connects the Mediterranean …