Maersk resumes Suez Canal routes, ending three year Africa detour
The sea has always been a mirror of the world — it reflects both its calm and its storms. When conflicts close maritime gateways, global trade seeks alternative routes, lengthening journeys and driving up costs. But when signs of stability appear on the horizon, ships return to their accustomed waterways.
The decision by Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to resume transit through the Suez Canal is not just a logistical move — it is a signal that even the most intense geopolitical storms tend to subside, leaving behind hope for a return to normalcy.
On Monday, Danish shipping giant AP Moller Maersk announced it would resume some sailings through the Suez Canal as part of its joint network with German partner Hapag-Lloyd, instead of routing vessels around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. The global diversion of ships from the Red Sea, the Bab el Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal began in November 2023, when Yemen's Houthi rebels started attacking Israel linked vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden amid the latest Palestinian Israeli conflict.
For nearly three years, thousands of container ships took the longer route around the southern tip of Africa, adding between 3,500 and 4,000 nautical miles (6,482 to 7,408 kilometres) and 10 to 14 days of transit time to each voyage.
Maersk said it would reroute the AE15 service — one of the routes operated jointly under the Gemini Cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd — via the Suez Canal, eliminating the Cape of Good Hope detour. The Gemini Cooperation is a shipping network established jointly by the two companies. The AE15 route connects Asia, the Mediterranean and Europe.
According to a Hapag-Lloyd spokesperson, the change is expected to cut total voyage duration to about four weeks. Maersk stated that the decision was made after a "comprehensive security assessment of the Red Sea region" and added that it marks "a step towards a gradual return to the Suez Canal route."
However, neither party currently plans to change the other routes in the Gemini network, and both said they would closely monitor developments in the Middle East. Any future adjustments will depend on whether the situation in the Red Sea remains stable. Both companies have contingency plans in place to allow for rapid route adjustments should the security situation deteriorate.
The Suez Canal is one of the world's busiest maritime arteries, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea. Before the crisis, about 10 percent of global maritime trade passed through this route — the fastest link between Europe and Asia. The detour around Africa significantly increased fuel, insurance and delivery costs, affecting prices for end consumers.
As CCTV+ reports. The return of major carriers to the Red Sea could mark a turning point for the entire global logistics industry, yet shipping companies remain cautious and ready to change course again at any moment.
