The world’s largest shipping company, Maersk, has decided to send its ships around the Cape of Good Hope rather than send them through the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal.

The extra 6,000 miles will impact on the global economy but will, the company hopes, alleviate the risk of being attacked by pirates.

Their decision comes after the pirates who have hi-jacked the super-tanker Sirius Star demanded a ransom of £17 million.