Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Resume Suez Canal Service Amid Hormuz Tensions

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have reinstated their jointly operated AE15 service through the Suez Canal after more than a year of rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. The first vessel, the 19,000‑TEU Majestic Maersk, will run the new rotation connecting ports in China, Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, cutting westbound transit times by about seven days and eastbound voyages by up to two weeks while lowering fuel use.

The operational shift follows a security assessment of the Red Sea, but escalating threats in the Strait of Hormuz are now dominating industry attention. Since early July, few commercial ships larger than 10,000 dwt have transited the strait with AIS active, and insurers have raised war‑risk premiums sharply, adding 4‑6% of a vessel’s hull value. Shipowners, cargo owners and freight buyers are therefore facing higher costs and greater uncertainty about safe passage through the Gulf, potentially offsetting the benefits of the Suez revival.

Both carriers say the service will be reintroduced gradually and can be redirected to the Cape of Good Hope if conditions deteriorate, with crew safety and cargo security remaining the top priority.