Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to Resume Red Sea Transits with Naval Escorts
Shipping giants Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will resume some Red Sea transits starting mid-February. Vessels will travel under naval escort to ensure safety.
Insights:
A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S and Hapag-Lloyd AG announced on February 3, 2026, that they will resume some transit routes through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal starting in mid-February. This operational shift involves ships travelling under naval escort to mitigate security risks in the region. The decision aims to reinstate a critical portion of the Asia–Europe corridor, which has seen significant disruption over the past two years, affecting carriers' routing, security arrangements, and overall service operations.
The resumption of these routes will specifically impact several key services, including the Gemini network. Carriers have identified the ME11 service, AE12 service, and AE15 service as part of the initial phase of returning to the Suez Canal route. By utilizing naval escorts, the companies are attempting to restore the fastest available connection between Asia and Europe. This move follows a period of testing transits that have been occurring since December, providing the operational data necessary to support the mid-February restart.
