Shipping companies Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk will resume some transit routes through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal this month under their shared services network. The joint ME11 service, connecting India and the Middle East with the Mediterranean, will route through the Red Sea and Suez Canal from mid-February with ships traveling under naval escort.
This move comes after vessels were rerouted around Africa in late 2023 following attacks in the Red Sea, which Yemen's Houthis said were to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The ceasefire in Gaza, in place since last October, has renewed hope of normalizing Red Sea traffic although fighting has not stopped entirely, and both sides have accused each other of violating the deal's terms.
The safety of the crew, vessels, and customers' cargo remains the top priority for both carriers. Plans to reroute two other services will be considered later.
Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk formed the Gemini network last year in a bid to cut shipping costs and improve schedule reliability. In December, Maersk's Sebarok vessel navigated the route for the first time in nearly two years.
The Suez Canal is the fastest route linking Europe and Asia and until the Houthi attacks had accounted for about 10% of global seaborne trade.