For more than 2 years, many shipping lines, including Maersk, avoided the Suez Canal and Red Sea route due to attacks by militant groups in the area. Instead, they diverted their ships via the Cape of Good Hope route, adding 10 to 20 days of travel time, higher fuel costs and major disruption to global supply chains.
However, Maersk has confirmed the official and structured return to the normal route through the Suez Canal, after noting an improvement in Red Sea safety, with the MECL service, which connects the Middle East and India to the east coast of the United States, the first to permanently return to the route.
First dates of the new itinerary
The first structural voyage of the MECL service to use the Suez Canal again will be that of the Cornelia Maersk vessel, which departed Jebel Ali on January 15, 2026, westbound. In the opposite direction, the Maersk Detroit sailed from North Charleston on January 10, 2026, eastbound, also via the trans-Suez route.
Both routes mark the official restart of the original service pattern, which will again offer more efficient transit times for the company’s customers.
Important conditions and warnings
Maersk is cautious and makes it clear that:
- Safety is the top priority (crew, vessels and cargo).
- Will continue to monitor the situation in the Red Sea. If security deteriorates, they are prepared to:
- Divert one-time trips.
- Or, even structurally change the entire MECL route back to the Cape of Good Hope.
- This is the first step in a gradual return of all its trans-Suez routes, not a massive and immediate return.
It should be noted that the reestablishment of transit through the Canal has been possible thanks to close coordination with the Suez Canal Authority.
A firm step towards logistics recovery
The return of MECL service through the Suez Canal could have an effect on global freight rates by relieving logistical pressures and offering shorter, more economical routes. For Maersk, this move represents a return to the original design of its operations, with the aim of ensuring greater efficiency in an environment still conditioned by geopolitical risks.
Source and photo: Maersk