The Maersk company has officially communicated the temporary suspension of its return to the Red Sea corridor and the Suez Canal for two of its main routes, including integrated services in the Gemini Cooperation alongside Hapag-Lloyd. This resolution has been adopted after detecting unforeseen conditions in the operational environment of the area. According to the firm, after consulting with its security partners, it has been determined that current circumstances hinder transit without incurring significant delays, which has prompted the rerouting of the upcoming departures towards the route around the Cape of Good Hope.
The measure directly affects the ME11 services, which connect India and the Middle East with the Mediterranean, and MECL, which links Saudi Arabia and the Middle East with the east coast of the United States. Specifically, the itinerary change will apply to the next three departures in both directions of the independent MECL line and to the next three rotations westward and four eastward of Maersk vessels in the Gemini Cooperation network. These deviations will remain in effect for at least the next three weeks, during which the vessels will circumnavigate the African continent.
This shift in operational strategy occurs just two weeks after the first Maersk vessel completed transit eastward through the Red Sea, following tests conducted by the shipping company last January. The company had conditioned the continuity of these routes on regional stability and obtaining naval assistance to ensure the safety of transits. Despite the Suez Canal authority's attempts to encourage the resumption of traffic, the recent accumulation of military presence in the area and regional tensions have disrupted the normalization plans for the service.
In the institutional sphere, the European Council has recently confirmed the extension of Operation Aspides until February 2027. However, this protection mission currently has a limited availability of three warships for escort duties, which in previous occasions has caused waits and delays for shipping companies requesting this support. Maersk has reiterated that, while its priority is to resume the Suez route as it is the most efficient and sustainable option, the safety of operations prevails in the current context of uncertainty.
Maersk's decision to withdraw from the Red Sea could have implications for the rest of the maritime industry, which is closely observing the feasibility of recovering traditional itineraries. For the moment, the shipping company will provide updated transport plans to its users so that they can readjust their supply chains in light of the increased navigation times that entail circling Africa to reach the ports of the Mediterranean and North America.