Ocean freight rates are surging after a missile attack and attempted hijacking of a Maersk ship in late December prompted carriers to suspend plans to restart transits through the Red Sea, a key artery to the vital Suez Canal trade route, Reuters reported last week.

The attacks, carried about by Houthi rebels based in Yemen, have forced ships to reroute around the southern tip of Africa, adding 7 to 20 days to their voyages...