Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk to transit Red Sea with one Gemini service

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd announced last week that they have decided to change the routing of one of the shared services under the Gemini Cooperation. From mid-February 2026, a structural change will be implemented to Maersk’s ME11 Middle East-Indian to Europe service, transitioning it through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

The transfer of the ME11 marks a key milestone, the carriers say, enabling more efficient transit times for customers. All passages will be secured by naval assistance.

The move follows Maersk trial transits of the Canal and then the mid-January return to the Suez route of the MECL service -operated solely by Maersk - that connects the Middle East and India with the US East Coast.

For ME11, westbound sailings will henceforth call Salalah as last port before Suez, beginning with the ‘Albert Maersk’ (voyage 605W) on February 12. Eastbound sailings will call port Tangiers as last port before Suez beginning the ‘Astrid Maersk’ (voyage 605E), later switching to Port Said beginning with the ‘Angelica Maersk’ (voyage 609E) on February 23.

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd say they will continue to monitor the security situation in the Middle East region very closely, and any alteration to the Gemini service will remain dependent on the ongoing stability in the Red Sea area and the absence of any escalation in conflicts in the region. The safety of the crew, the vessels, and customers’ cargo remains the highest priority, and all necessary security measures will be applied for vessels transiting the area. Contingency plans are in place should the security situation deteriorate, which may necessitate reverting individual sailings or the wider structural change of the ME11 service back to the Cape of Good Hope route.

When possible, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd say they will also implement changes to AE12 and AE15 services to go through Red Sea and the Suez Canal at a later stage. Further information to customers and other relevant stakeholders will follow in due course. No further changes to the Gemini network related to the Red Sea are foreseen at this time.