Maersk reopens Suez Canal route as Red Sea risks ease

The global container carrier Maersk has begun a structured return to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, becoming one of the first major shipping lines to restore services on the route after nearly two years of disruption caused by attacks on commercial vessels, The Maritime Telegraph reports.

 

The Danish company confirmed that its Middle East–India–U.S. East Coast (MECL) service will be the first to switch back to the Suez passage. The official restart is scheduled for January 15, with Cornelia Maersk departing Jebel Ali in the UAE. On the eastbound leg, Maersk Detroit is expected to become the service’s first vessel to transit the Suez Canal, reaching the waterway on February 9 after leaving Charleston on January 10. Maersk estimates that a full reinstatement of schedules via Suez may take three to five months.

 

Maersk emphasized that the return will follow a carefully phased approach, supported by contingency planning should the security situation in the Red Sea deteriorate again. Ongoing risk assessments remain a key part of the strategy.

 

The move follows two earlier trial voyages by Maersk Sebarok and Maersk Denver, which helped assess operational and security conditions along the corridor. The decision reflects what the company described as gradually improving stability in the region, a view also echoed in recent reporting by Reuters , which has noted a cautious shift among major carriers as risk levels show signs of easing.

 

Resuming transits through the Suez Canal is expected to shorten voyage times by up to one week compared with the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope. Analysts told Reuters that the return of capacity to the Suez route could increase vessel availability and put downward pressure on freight rates, particularly if other global carriers adopt a similar strategy.

 

Picture: Maersk