Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd return AE15 service to Suez Canal route
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have announced a structural return to the Suez Canal route for their AE15 service under the Gemini network, shifting sailings away from the Cape of Good Hope.
The service will now operate via the trans-Suez corridor, starting with the Majestic Maersk, following joint assessments of the security situation in the Red Sea area. The AE15 service connects Asia, the Mediterranean and Europe, and will follow the rotation Qingdao – Kwangyang – Ningbo – Tanjung Pelepas – Port Said – Damietta – Colombo – Singapore.
“We are pleased to share that Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are announcing a structural change to one of the Gemini services, the AE15 service; it will now sail via the trans-Suez route instead of transiting via the Cape of Good Hope. The first sailing will be the Majestic Maersk.”
“This joint decision with Hapag-Lloyd comes following thorough assessments of the security situation in the Red Sea area, and marks a step towards a gradual return to the trans-Suez corridor.”
The companies said the change reflects the importance of the Suez Canal as a key maritime corridor between East and West and a central route for global supply chains, describing it as the fastest, most sustainable, and most efficient option for transporting goods between Asia and Europe. The shift is expected to improve transit times for customers.
“The Suez Canal is a vital maritime corridor between East and West and a key driver of efficient global supply chains. The route through the Suez and the Red Sea is the fastest, most sustainable and most efficient way to serve customers with transport between Asia and Europe.
By making this structural change to the AE15 service, where it will transition it to the trans-Suez corridor instead of sailing around the Cape of Good Hope, we will offer more efficient transit times for customers.”
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will continue to monitor conditions in the Middle East closely, with any further adjustments dependent on stability in the Red Sea and developments in the wider regional security situation. They said crew, vessel, and cargo safety remain the highest priority, and contingency plans remain in place should conditions require a return to the Cape of Good Hope route.
“Should the security situation deteriorate, which may necessitate reverting individual sailings or the wider structural change of the service back to the Cape of Good Hope route, we have contingency plans in place.”
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English