Maersk will resume its Middle East–US East Coast (MECL) service via the Suez Canal, marking another step in the gradual return of its vessels to the Red Sea shipping corridor.
Most shipping lines diverted vessels away from the Suez Canal after attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi militants. Instead, services were rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant time to voyages.
“By making the structural change of returning to the trans-Suez route for the MECL service, we will offer significantly improved transit times,” Maersk said in a statement. According to the company, average westbound transit times will be reduced by seven days, while eastbound sailings will be up to 14 days faster.
The MECL service is operated solely by Maersk and is not part of the Gemini Cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd. The Maersk Denver will make the first westbound transit through the Suez Canal, while the Maersk Chicago will operate the first eastbound sailing.
Maersk said it would continue to monitor the security situation in the Middle East closely. “The safety of crew, vessels, and customers’ cargo remains the highest priority. Should the security situation change, which may necessitate reverting individual sailings or the wider structural change of the service back to the Cape of Good Hope route, we have contingency plans in place,” the company said.
Earlier this week, Maersk also announced that it would resume some Suez Canal transits under its Gemini Cooperation network with Hapag-Lloyd. “The AE15 service will now sail via the trans-Suez route instead of transiting via the Cape of Good Hope. The first sailing will be the Majestic Maersk,” the company announced on Monday.
