A.P. Moller-Maersk Gradually Returns to Suez Canal as Red Sea Security Improves
Container shipping major Maersk has initiated a controlled return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, becoming one of the first global carriers to reintroduce regular services on the route following nearly two years of disruption linked to regional security threats, as reported by NextShip.
The Danish liner confirmed that its Middle East–India–U.S. East Coast (MECL) service will spearhead the transition. The restart begins on January 15, with Cornelia Maersk sailing from Jebel Ali, UAE. On the eastbound leg, Maersk Detroit is scheduled to be the first vessel in the service to cross the Suez Canal, with transit expected around February 9 after departing Charleston on January 10. The company anticipates that restoring full schedule reliability through Suez will require three to five months.
Maersk stated that the shift back to the corridor will remain measured and incremental, with contingency measures ready should the security environment in the Red Sea worsen. Continuous monitoring of risks will guide further deployment decisions.
The move follows earlier evaluation sailings by Maersk Sebarok and Maersk Denver, which were used to test operational conditions along the route. Maersk said these voyages supported its assessment that security conditions are slowly stabilising, a conclusion also reflected in Reuters reporting on a broader reassessment of Red Sea transits by leading shipping lines.
A renewed reliance on the Suez Canal is expected to reduce transit times by up to seven days compared with the diversion around the Cape of Good Hope. Shipping analysts cited by Reuters note that shorter voyages and increased effective capacity could ease supply-chain constraints and place downward pressure on freight rates, particularly if additional carriers follow Maersk’s example.
