After briefly resuming container services through the Red Sea earlier this month, global shipping majors Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have decided to avoid the region again, citing “unforeseen constraints” arising from the wider operating environment.
Both companies, partners in the Gemini Cooperation launched last year, said some of their upcoming sailings will be rerouted from the Trans-Suez route to the Cape of Good Hope.
In a statement, Maersk said discussions with its security partners indicated that prevailing conditions in the Red Sea were making it challenging to avoid delays during passage through the area.
“Therefore, we have made the decision to reroute some of our upcoming sailings on the ME11 and MECL services from Trans Suez to Cape of Good Hope,” the company said.
The ME11 service connects the Middle East and India with the Mediterranean, while MECL links the Middle East and India with the US East Coast.
Maersk clarified that the rerouting is a temporary adjustment and that it will continue to prioritise the Trans-Suez route for additional ME11 and MECL sailings, describing it as the fastest, most sustainable and most efficient option for customers.
Separately, Hapag-Lloyd said it would reroute four voyages of its IMX service, which connects India and the Middle East with the Mediterranean, from the Trans-Suez route to the Cape of Good Hope.
Published on February 27, 2026