by Jessica Ingram
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Global shipping is showing mixed signals about a return to the traditional Red Sea and Suez Canal routes after nearly two years of rerouting around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope due to security concerns. Danish carrier Maersk recently sent one of its vessels, the Maersk Sebarok, through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and into the Red Sea — a first since 2023 — as part of a cautious, “stepwise approach” toward potentially resuming east-west Suez transits if security thresholds hold. While the company emphasized that this single voyage doesn’t yet signal a full network shift back to the trans-Suez corridor, it does reflect growing optimism about safer navigation conditions in the region. Maersk
However, not all carriers are ready to embrace a Suez comeback. On the India–U.S. East Coast trade, container line Hapag-Lloyd opted to stick with its longer Cape of Good Hope routing after significant customer resistance. Major forwarders, led by Expeditors International, voiced concerns about ongoing war-risk insurance premiums and unpredictable costs tied to Suez transits, prompting the carrier to defer plans for rerouting despite industry interest in shorter voyages. This divergence highlights how customer sentiment and risk calculus continue to shape shipping strategies even as carriers test the waters for a potential return to historic maritime corridors. indiaseatradenews.com
Sources:
Greg Knowler, “Maersk takes ‘significant step’ towards return to Red Sea transits,” Journal of Commerce — https://www.joc.com/article/maersk-takes-significant-step-towards-return-to-red-sea-transits-6138361 Journal of Commerce
Bency Mathew, “Hapag-Lloyd nixes Suez return for India-USEC loop amid customer pushback,” Journal of Commerce — https://www.joc.com/article/hapag-lloyd-nixes-suez-return-for-india-usec-loop-amid-customer-pushback-6137557 Journal of Commerce
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