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Two of the world’s largest container ship operators have extended diversions from the Red Sea following an attack on a vessel at the weekend that has been blamed for renewed oil price volatility.

On Sunday, Maersk suspended sailings near or via the Suez Canal after one of its giant carriers, the Maersk Hangzou, was targeted by Houthi militants – the latest in a string of attacks on shipping vessels since November.

US military helicopters sank three boats, killing 10 militants, after receiving a distress call in the early hours of New Year’s Eve.

The response was part of a pledge last month involving several naval powers, including Britain, to protect international shipping in the area after rebels in Yemen said they would target any vessels seen to be serving Israel.

The Iranian-backed Houthis are also aligned to Hamas, the group that attacked Israel in early October sparking a war that has threatened to escalate more widely in the region.

“An investigation into the incident is ongoing and we will continue to pause all cargo movement through the area while we further assess the constantly evolving situation,” Maersk said in a statement.

“In cases where it makes most sense for our customers, vessels will be rerouted and continue their journey around the Cape of Good Hope.”

Maersk was understood to have had more than 30 container vessels ready to sail through Suez via the Red Sea.

Its decision followed hot on the heels of a similar move by rival Hapag-Lloyd.

The German firm said earlier on Tuesday that it would continue to divert its vessels away from the Suez Canal and send them via the Cape of Good Hope until at least 9 January.

The world’s fifth-biggest container liner said it would decide then whether to maintain that diversion.

It has been in place since one of its ships was targeted off the coast of Yemen on 15 December.

The Suez Canal accounts for roughly a third of the world’s container ship journeys.

The continuing diversions add up to two weeks to passages from Asia due to the need to circumnavigate Africa.

Disruption to date has raised insurance costs, shipping fees due to higher fuel and crew costs – costs that can be expected to be passed on down the supply chain in the coming weeks and months.

The attack on the Maersk liner was reflected when financial markets opened for the first time after the New Year holiday.

Brent crude oil was trading 2% higher at $78 (£62) a barrel at one stage.

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Market analysts said the potential for wider disruption to Middle East supply was firmly on traders’ minds.

“The oil price may be affected by the escalation … in the Red Sea over the weekend and the peak demand season during China’s spring festival,” Shanghai-based CMC Markets analyst Leon Li said, referring to the Lunar New Year holiday in early February.

However, oil prices were later flat on the day when US markets opened as investors’ expectations around interest rate cuts this year fell back, holding oil price gains in check.

A stronger dollar also weighed on prices.

Finland and Sweden have recorded the coldest temperatures of the winter so far with thermometers falling to minus 40C (minus 40F), or even lower, as the countries remained in the grip of the Nordic cold snap.

The temperature dropped to minus 41.6C (minus 42.8F) in Nikkaluokta, a small village in northern Sweden, on Tuesday, Swedish public broadcaster SVT said.

Several other areas of the same region have seen minus 30C (minus 22F), according to the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute.

SVT meteorologist Nils Holmqvist said: “It’s the coldest temperature we have had so far this winter, and it will continue to be quite cold weather in the north.”

The freezing conditions have caused substantial problems for train travel in the north, Swedish rail operators said, among other issues.

And it may be about to get worse, as the institute has issued its second-highest warning for snow and wind from midnight into Wednesday.

In neighbouring Finland, the coldest reading of its winter so far was recorded in the northwestern town of Ylivieska where the temperature fell to minus 37.8C (minus 36F) early on Tuesday. It dropped to lower than minus 30C (minus 22F) in parts of the Arctic Lapland region.

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Helsinki won’t escape either, with temperatures of between minus 15C (5F) and minus 20C (minus 4F) expected in the Finnish capital all this week.

But the Finnish Meteorological Institute has warned it could be much colder in parts of the country, with temperatures getting even lower than minus 40C (minus 40F).

In southern Norway, a section of the E18 highway was closed due to a weather-related situation, police said on X.

In Denmark, the Danish Road Directorate said it had closed a key bridge to vehicles with light trailers because of strong winds that can affect driving.

Heavy snow was expected over the northern part of the country, according to the Danish Meteorological Institute.

Eurovision organisers have teased an apparent Caribbean appearance at this year’s contest.

“New Year! New News!” they announced, in a message shared with more than 1.3 million followers through the official Instagram page, alongside a clip showing crystal clear waters and golden beaches.

“We’re thrilled to confirm that THE CARIBBEAN is coming to the Eurovision Song Contest 2024,” the post said. “Stay tuned, we can’t wait to tell you more.”

The 2024 event takes place in Malmo in Sweden, with Olly Alexander recently announced as the UK’s act.

Could he be facing competition from a Caribbean entrant? No further details have been given, but Eurovision followers were quick to point out the obvious upon seeing the teaser.

“It’s Eurovision not Worldvision,” replied one.

“I must have been too busy sipping virtual coconut water to catch the exact moment when the Caribbean decided to swing by Europe,” wrote another.

“There are so many countries in the Caribbean,” another responded.

So it’s not a country. And it’s definitely not in Europe. But, that hasn’t stopped Eurovision organisers before.

In 2015, having broadcast the competition since 1983, Australia (also definitely not in Europe) was invited to join the party to commemorate Eurovision’s 60th anniversary.

It was supposed to be a one-off, but the Aussies went on to contribute in subsequent years – with contestant Dami Im finishing as runner-up in 2016 with her song, Sound Of Silence.

Morocco also competed in 1980.

But as one follower pointed out: “There’s a lot of European territories in the Caribbean so maybe they’re announcing that a Caribbean artist is representing a European country?”

Sky News has contacted Eurovision organisers for more information. Watch this space.