Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd resume Suez Canal transit for AE15 service under Gemini Cooperation
By using the Suez Canal again, the AE15 service will achieve shorter sailing times and faster cargo movement between Asia and the Mediterranean.
GLOBAL – Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have decided to reroute their AE15 shipping service via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, rather than sailing around the Cape of Good Hope, following a security review that deemed the shorter route viable for this trade lane.
The change will begin with the vessel Majestic Maersk. The AE15 service is a regular container shipping route connecting ports in Asia with the Mediterranean, calling at Qingdao, Kwangyang, Ningbo, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Said, Damietta, Colombo, and Singapore.
Most shipping companies stopped using the Red Sea route more than two years ago due to attacks on commercial ships, opting instead to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, which lengthened journeys and increased fuel and operating costs.
Route Optimization and Operational Efficiency
By using the Suez Canal again, the AE15 service will achieve shorter sailing times and faster cargo movement between Asia and the Mediterranean.
This strategic shift moves vessels away from the lengthy detour around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, a route previously taken to avoid regional security threats.
Therefore, the companies have determined that returning to the Red Sea is currently viable for this trade lane connecting Asia and the Mediterranean.
Security Assessment and Ongoing Monitoring
Maersk said this change applies only to the AE15 service, while the rest of its Asia-Europe services will continue their current routes. The companies said they reviewed the security situation in the Red Sea and believe it is safe for the AE15 service to resume the shorter route.
Earlier this year, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd also moved their ME11 service back to the Suez Canal following a similar security review. The company also said it will continue to monitor the security situation and can change the route again if needed.
This decision reflects a calculated effort to restore efficiency to global maritime logistics despite ongoing geopolitical complexities, with the carriers maintaining a vigilant watch over the area’s stability.
Lastly, the companies remain prepared to adjust routes if security conditions deteriorate, maintaining operational flexibility in a volatile environment.
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