Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have decided to change the routing of one of their shared services under the Gemini Cooperation, transitioning it through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. All passages will be secured by naval assistance.
The service in scope is the IMX service, which connects India and the Middle East with the Mediterranean. From mid-February, changes will be implemented on westbound sailings as of vessel Albert Maersk and on eastbound sailings as of vessel Astrid Maersk.
Also read: Maersk returns to Suez Canal with weekly service
Possibly more changes at a later stage
When possible, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk will also implement changes to the SE1 and SE3 services to go through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal at a later stage. No further changes to the Gemini network related to the Red Sea are foreseen at this stage.
The implementation will be carried out in a way that keeps disruption to a minimum.
Also read: Maersk sails Red Sea for first time in two years
Security precautions
The highest possible security precautions will be undertaken, to ensure the safety of the crew, the vessels, and the cargo. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd state 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.
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd launched their operational collaboration “Gemini Cooperation” on February 1, 2025. The cooperation’s network covers 29 shared mainliner and 29 shared shuttle services on East-West trade routes.
Picture: A Maersk container ship at sea (Wikimedia Commons, public domain, CC0 1.0).
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