Maersk: Joint service with Hapag-Lloyd to resume voyages through the Suez Canal

Maersk Shipping Group announced on Monday that another of its joint container services with Hapag-Lloyd will resume voyages through the Suez Canal, as part of their gradual return to using the shortcut route between Asia and Europe. Maersk said in a statement that the ME1 service, which connects India with Europe, will now sail via the Suez Canal route instead of taking the much longer route around Africa. Most shipping companies had abandoned the Suez Canal trade route between Asia and Europe in late 2023 following Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The company stated, “Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will continue to closely monitor the security situation in the Middle East, and any changes to services will remain within the framework of the Gemini cooperation between the two partners, contingent on stability in the Red Sea region.”