BUSINESS

Major Shipping Lines Resume Suez Transit Despite Red Sea Risks

Published: Sep. 16, 2026 12:35 a.m. GMT+8

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Commercial vessels are anchored near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Gulf of Aden, Yemen, on Sept. 12, 2026. Photo: VCG

Major global shipping lines are accelerating their return to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal despite deteriorating security conditions and recent territorial gains by Houthi militants near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

A growing number of major carriers, including A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S and China Cosco Shipping Corp. Ltd., have announced plans to restore services through the waterway this month, reducing reliance on the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.

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Major carriers (Maersk, Cosco, MSC) are resuming Red Sea/Suez routes despite Houthi territorial gains near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Cape of Good Hope diversions fell to a two-year low of 4.6%; Suez transit cuts ~2 weeks and ~30% fuel use.
Resumptions remain limited and reversible; capacity via Bab el-Mandeb is 23% of pre-crisis levels.

AI generated, for reference only

Who’s Who

A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S: A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S is accelerating its return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal. On Sept. 14, it announced four routes under its Gemini Cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd would resume, including the AE5 service on Sept. 21 with the vessel Marchen Maersk, bringing restored routes to six. CEO Vincent Clerc stated conditions for full resumption are met for 2026.

Hapag-Lloyd AG: Based on the article, Hapag-Lloyd AG partners with Maersk in the Gemini Cooperation. According to the report, Maersk announced on Sept. 14 that four routes under this cooperation would return to the Suez Canal. However, the Gemini Cooperation stated that future operations would depend on stability in the Middle East.

China Cosco Shipping Corp. Ltd.: China Cosco Shipping Corp. Ltd. is resuming Red Sea routes despite security risks, restoring five routes between Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean starting Sept. 15. Its vessel Xin Hui Zhou transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Sept. 14, its first passage in over two years, linking Shanghai and Ningbo to Sokhna, Egypt.

Mediterranean Shipping Co.: Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) announced a limited resumption on Sept. 14, shifting the westbound leg of its Indusa service back to the Red Sea, while eastbound cargo continues to avoid the area. MSC stated its return will be assessed on a voyage-by-voyage basis, reflecting caution amid volatile security conditions.

Orient Overseas (International) Ltd.: Orient Overseas (International) Ltd., a Hong Kong-listed shipping line, is resuming Red Sea routes. Alongside China Cosco Shipping, it is gradually restoring five Asia-Europe-Mediterranean services starting Sept. 15, amid rising fuel costs and port congestion despite Houthi security risks.

CMA CGM SA: Based on the article, CMA CGM SA has also resumed some transits through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, following the trend of major carriers. However, its resumption appears limited, as other carriers like HMM, ONE, Yang Ming, and Evergreen have yet to return. The shift is driven by economic factors despite security risks.

HMM Co. Ltd.: HMM Co. Ltd. is a major global shipping line that has yet to resume Red Sea and Suez Canal transits, according to the article. While other carriers like Maersk and Cosco are returning, HMM, along with Ocean Network Express, Yang Ming, and Evergreen, have not announced plans to restore services through the waterway.

Ocean Network Express Holdings Ltd.: Ocean Network Express Holdings Ltd. (ONE) is a major global shipping carrier that, as of mid-September 2025, had not yet returned to Red Sea/Suez Canal routes, unlike competitors like Maersk and Cosco, which were resuming services.

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp.: According to the article, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. has yet to return to Red Sea and Suez Canal routes, unlike carriers such as Maersk and Cosco that have resumed services.

Evergreen Marine Corp.: According to the article, Evergreen Marine Corp. has yet to return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal routes. While carriers like Maersk, Cosco, MSC, and CMA CGM have resumed some transits, Evergreen remains among those that have not, including HMM, ONE, and Yang Ming, as of mid-September.

DHL: DHL noted on Sept. 11 that routing via the Suez Canal cuts transit times by about two weeks and lowers fuel consumption by roughly 30%. The logistics provider also stated the market stands at a crossroads—between normalization of Red Sea shipping and the risk of prolonged Middle East instability.

Linerlytica: Linerlytica is a shipping consultancy that tracks vessel capacity and route changes. It reported that China Cosco Shipping and Orient Overseas are restoring five Asia-Europe/Mediterranean routes starting Sept 15. Its data shows the share of global capacity rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope fell to a two-year low of 4.6% as of Sept 14.

Sea-Intelligence: Sea-Intelligence is a shipping consultancy. According to the article, it noted that rising fuel costs and worsening port congestion have reduced the viability of the Cape of Good Hope detour, pushing carriers to seek faster alternatives like the Suez Canal.

Xeneta: Xeneta is a shipping analytics firm. It reported that as of August, container capacity transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait had doubled from a year earlier but remained only 23% of pre-crisis levels, highlighting the limited recovery of Red Sea shipping despite carriers' return.

AI generated, for reference only

What Happened When

September 10, 2026：: Houthi forces captured the Red Sea port city of Mokha and the Hanish Islands.

September 11, 2026：: Houthi forces seized the port of Dhubab and Perim Island; DHL stated that Suez Canal transit cuts transit times by about two weeks and lowers fuel consumption by roughly 30%.

September 14, 2026：: A.P. Moller-Maersk announced that four routes under its Gemini Cooperation would return to the Suez Canal; MSC announced a limited resumption, shifting the westbound leg of its Indusa service back to the Red Sea; Cosco’s Xin Hui Zhou transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on the RES4 service; Linerlytica data showed that the share of global vessel capacity rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope had fallen to a two-year low of 4.6%.

September 15, 2026：: Five routes between Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean set to be gradually restored by China Cosco Shipping and Orient Overseas, according to Linerlytica.