Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are moving more Gemini Cooperation services back through the Suez Canal, increasing their exposure to the Red Sea despite renewed security concerns in the region.

The two carriers said four additional Gemini services — AE5, AE11, AE12 and ME2 — will shift from the Cape of Good Hope route to the Suez Canal.

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The move will bring six Gemini services onto the Suez route, alongside AE15 and AE19, which have already resumed canal operations.

The latest changes represent a significant expansion of the carriers’ return to the Red Sea after years of diversions around southern Africa following attacks on commercial shipping.

AE5 serves the Asia-Northern Europe trade, while AE11 and AE12 connect Asia with the Mediterranean. ME2 links India with Europe. Under the new schedule, all four services will transit the Suez Canal in both directions.

The first westbound voyages are expected to begin later this month. Antonia Maersk is scheduled to sail the AE11 service from Tanjung Pelepas on September 19, followed by Marchen Maersk on AE5 on September 21 and Cornelia Maersk on ME2 on September 24. Maersk has yet to announce the first sailing date for AE12.

Suez offers faster transit

The return is expected to shorten voyage times compared with the longer Cape of Good Hope routing.

Maersk said the Suez and Red Sea route provides the most efficient option for moving cargo between Asia and Europe, provided security conditions allow vessels to operate safely.

The expansion follows several steps by the Gemini partners to restore parts of their Suez network.

The carriers previously returned AE15 to the canal and subsequently added a Jeddah call, bringing the service into the Red Sea. Maersk has also resumed its independent MECL service linking India, the Middle East and the U.S. East Coast through the region.

Security risks remain

The decision comes as risks around the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb remain elevated.

Houthi forces aligned with Iran continue to maintain a presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, creating concerns for vessels approaching one of the world’s key maritime chokepoints. The situation is also unfolding against wider regional tensions, including disruptions affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The renewed security concerns are particularly important for energy shipments using alternative routes through the Red Sea.

Since the escalation of attacks on commercial vessels in late 2023, most major container carriers have avoided the Suez Canal and instead routed ships around the Cape of Good Hope. The detour has added thousands of nautical miles to some Asia-Europe voyages, increasing fuel consumption, costs and transit times.

Safety remains the deciding factor

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd said the expanded Suez operation remains dependent on the security environment.

The carriers will continue to monitor developments and could adjust their network again if conditions deteriorate or the risk to vessels and crews increases.

For now, the move signals growing confidence in the Suez route while highlighting the difficult balance carriers face between shorter voyages and heightened regional security risks.

“The safety of the crew, the vessels, and customers’ cargo remains the highest priority,” Maersk said.

With four more services moving back to Suez, the Gemini partners are effectively betting that the benefits of shorter Asia-Europe transit times can be captured without exposing vessels to unacceptable risks in the Red Sea.