Maersk Gradually Resuming Operations via the Red Sea

Danish shipping company A.P Moller-Maersk is gradually resuming operations via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea providing security thresholds are met, a customer advisory note on Monday reported.

On January 11-12, the U.S Flagged vessel Maersk Denver successfully transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and into the Red Sea. Following, the successful transit of the Maersk Seabarok on Dec.18 and Dec.19 last year.

“The safety of our crew, vessels and cargo remains of utmost importance to us, and the necessary safety measures were applied during transit,” Maersk said in the advisory on its website.

“Assuming that security thresholds continue to be met, we will continue our stepwise approach towards gradually resuming navigation along the East-West corridor via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea,” it added.

The trial voyage follows French shipping company CMA CGM’s vessel CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin safe passage through the Red Sea and Suez Canal in November 2025, which was viewed as a positive indicator for the potential gradual return of ships to the Suez Canal.

Several shipping companies have been avoiding transiting the Red Sea and Suez Canal for the past two years in response to Yemeni rebel Houthi attacks on commercial ships near the coast of Yemen.

Companies have been redirected their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa — a longer and more expensive voyage — to avoid potential attacks. The Red Sea is a shorter route for cargoes and energy shipments transiting between Asia and Europe than that via the Cape of Good Hope.

–Reporting by Stacy Maphula, smaphula@opisnet.com; Editing by Yazdi Merchant, ymerchant@opisnet.com