Maersk to resume Red Sea transit

COPENHAGEN, Nov. 26 (YPA) – Shipping company Maersk plans to resume navigating the Red Sea and Suez Canal route as soon as conditions are safe, citing reduced security tensions following developments related to the Gaza agreement and ongoing ceasefire efforts.

 CEO Vincent Clerc stated that crew safety remains the top priority and the company is preparing to return to its normal shipping routes through this key corridor.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Clerc stressed that the Suez Canal remains a vital maritime passage for Maersk.

He said he expects other shipping lines to follow Maersk’s move and resume Red Sea operations after months of suspensions and diversions around the Cape of Good Hope.

Clerc noted that the Red Sea continues to be “the most efficient and suitable corridor” for east–west trade. He acknowledged that security disruptions over the past two years have pushed global transport and freight costs higher.

Concluding his remarks, Clerc said he looks forward to Maersk vessels returning to full operational capacity through the Red Sea and to the Suez Canal restoring its pre-crisis traffic levels.

In July 2024, Maersk imposed additional surcharges on ocean services due to Red Sea and Gulf of Aden disruptions, which caused widespread industry-wide issues including delays, port congestion, and capacity shortages.

At the time, the company said the fees were necessary to maintain service continuity amid a “changing environment” marked by equipment shortages and reduced global shipping capacity.

Observers have linked some of these challenges to Yemeni attacks on vessels operating in the region, including ships associated with Israel-linked trade during the Gaza conflict—incidents that the Yemeni side had warned about as part of its pressure campaign during the war.

@E.Y.M