en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 10, Denmark's Maersk and Germany's Hapag-Lloyd announced a structural adjustment to the AE19 container service within their "Gemini Cooperation" network. Effective immediately, the service will shift from routing via the Cape of Good Hope to sailing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, continuing to connect Asia, the Mediterranean, Saudi Arabia, and Europe.
The first westbound voyage on the new routing is the Berlin Maersk 628W, while the eastbound adjustment begins with the 637E voyage on the same vessel. The new route takes vessels from Asia into the Red Sea and Suez passage, connects the Mediterranean and Europe, and then returns to Asia along the Suez route, with the previous arrangement of routing both eastbound and westbound via the Cape of Good Hope being discontinued.
AE19 was launched on March 13, 2026, initially using the Cape of Good Hope routing to provide mainline and feeder services for cargo between Asia, the Mediterranean, Saudi Arabia, and Europe. This adjustment switches the service's operational structure to the Suez passage. Maersk stated that the new routing will shorten transit times and improve operational efficiency for voyages in both the Asia and Europe directions.
Prior to the AE19 adjustment, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd had already resumed some Suez routes in phases. In February, the two companies rerouted the ME11 service through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, but due to changes in the Middle East security situation, the service was rerouted back via the Cape of Good Hope in March. In July, the two parties first adjusted the AE15 service; Maersk's independently operated MECL service subsequently resumed Suez navigation, with westbound transit times shortened by an average of 7 days and eastbound by an average of 14 days, and the WAF6 service was also rerouted through the Red Sea in the same month.
The AE19 adjustment was jointly decided by the two companies following a Red Sea safety assessment. Maersk stated that there are currently no plans to further adjust other Gemini services, nor has a specific timeline been set for the full restoration of Suez navigation across the entire east-west shipping network. Future service arrangements will continue to be implemented based on the ongoing stability of the Red Sea region, with contingency plans in place to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope should security conditions change.
