In a significant move signaling a shift in global shipping patterns, Denmark-based Maersk, one of the world’s leading container vessel operators, announced plans on Wednesday to schedule the passage of multiple container vessels through the Suez Canal and Red Sea in the upcoming weeks.
However, the company cautioned that the planned schedule remains susceptible to alterations contingent upon specific contingency plans that may develop in the coming days.
The world’s prominent shipping entities, including industry giants Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, had ceased employing the Red Sea routes after Yemen’s Houthi militant group initiated targeting vessels earlier in the month, resulting in significant disruptions to global trade.
Maersk disclosed on December 24 its intentions to reinitiate Red Sea routes for both eastbound and westbound journeys. The decision was attributed to the deployment of a US-led military operation aimed at safeguarding vessels against potential Houthi attacks, although precise details were not extensively provided.
Echoing this strategic shift, France’s CMA CGM also confirmed on Tuesday its plans to escalate the number of vessels navigating through the Suez Canal.
A Maersk advisory to its clients on Wednesday highlighted several vessels scheduled for transit, notably the Maren Maersk, which commenced its journey from Tangiers on December 24 and is slated to continue its route via the Suez Canal, anticipating arrival in Singapore by January 14.
Nonetheless, the advisory revealed that a significant portion of Maersk’s vessels would still pursue the longer voyage around Africa.
Since December 19, Maersk has rerouted ships around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope to evade potential attacks. This strategic alteration has involved levying additional fees on customers and extending the transit time by several weeks for transporting goods from Asia to Europe and the east coast of North America.
Contrarily, German competitor Hapag-Lloyd remains firm in its stance, deeming the situation too perilous for vessels to traverse the Suez Canal. A spokesperson for the company emphasized on Wednesday that they would persist in redirecting their vessels via the Cape of Good Hope.
“We continuously assess the situation and plan a next review on Friday,” the spokesperson said.
