Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have announced that their jointly operated AE15 service under the Gemini Cooperation will return to the Suez Canal after more than a year of rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. The move follows a comprehensive assessment of the security situation in the Red Sea and marks the first structural adjustment towards restoring Asia–Europe services via the shorter Suez corridor.
The revised rotation will connect Qingdao, Kwangyang, Ningbo, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Said, Damietta, Colombo, and Singapore, with the Majestic Maersk scheduled to be the first vessel to operate the new routing. By reintroducing the Suez transit, the carriers expect to shorten transit times, improve schedule efficiency, and reduce fuel consumption on one of the world’s busiest container trade lanes.
Despite the operational change, both shipping lines stressed that the return to the Suez route will be gradual and subject to ongoing security developments in the Red Sea. The companies confirmed they will continue to closely monitor the geopolitical situation and are prepared to revert individual sailings, or the service as a whole, to the Cape of Good Hope should conditions deteriorate. According to Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, the safety of crews, vessels and customers’ cargo will remain the overriding priority as the Gemini network continues its phased transition back to the traditional Asia–Europe corridor.
