en.Wedoany.com Reported - Danish shipping group Maersk and German company Hapag-Lloyd announced on July 6 that they will adjust the AE15 route under the "Gemini" cooperation network, restoring its passage through the Suez Canal instead of bypassing the Cape of Good Hope. The two companies stated that this decision is based on a comprehensive assessment of the security situation in the Red Sea region, marking a key step toward gradually returning to the Suez Canal shipping route.

Global shipping companies began avoiding the Suez Canal in November 2023. Yemen's Houthi forces launched attacks on Israel-linked vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, forcing shipping companies to take detours. Over the following nearly three years, a large number of container ships rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope at the southwestern tip of Africa, increasing the voyage by approximately 3,500 to 4,000 nautical miles, extending transit times by 10 to 14 days, and driving up freight rates significantly, which pushed up global maritime shipping costs. As tensions in the Middle East ease, shipping companies have begun reassessing the conditions for using the Red Sea shipping route.

Maersk stated in a press release that the structural adjustment of the AE15 route under the "Gemini" cooperation network will restore Suez Canal transit for this route connecting Asia, the Mediterranean, and Europe. A Hapag-Lloyd spokesperson revealed that the adjusted route is expected to shorten the overall maritime voyage by four weeks. Both companies have developed contingency plans, and the navigation plan will be adjusted at any time if the Red Sea situation deteriorates. Currently, the two parties have no plans to adjust other routes under the "Gemini" cooperation network and will continue to monitor developments in the Middle East. Future route adjustments will depend on whether the Red Sea situation remains stable and regional conflicts do not escalate further.

Data from global shipping consultancy Clarksons Research shows that the route through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea is the fastest link between Europe and Asia, carrying 10% of global maritime trade volume before the deterioration of the Red Sea situation. Additionally, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd had previously resumed the ME11 route in mid-February under naval escort, which passes through the Suez Canal and connects India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. In another statement on July 6, Maersk confirmed that this route was suspended at the end of February due to the impact of the Iran conflict.