Following the successful transits of
Maersk Sebarok and
Maersk Denver through the Suez Canal, A.P. Moller –
Maersk (Maersk) has decided to implement its first structural adjustment by returning one of its services to the trans-Suez route. The change applies to the
MECL service, enabling Maersk to revert to its originally designed service pattern and deliver more efficient transit times for customers. Operated exclusively by Maersk, the MECL service connects the Middle East and India with the US East Coast.
Maersk will continue to closely monitor the security situation in the Middle East. Any further adjustments to the MECL service will depend on continued stability in the Red Sea region and the absence of escalating conflict. The safety of crews, vessels, and customer cargo remains the company’s top priority. Contingency plans are in place should conditions worsen, which could require individual MECL sailings—or the broader service structure—to revert to the Cape of Good Hope route.
Trans-Suez is the preferred route
Since diverting its first sailing from the Red Sea route to the Cape of Good Hope, Maersk has consistently signaled its intention to resume trans-Suez operations once conditions permitted. The Suez Canal remains a critical maritime link between East and West and a cornerstone of efficient global supply chains. Routing via the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait represents the fastest, most sustainable, and most efficient option for transporting goods between Asia and Europe.
The decision to structurally reinstate the MECL service on the trans-Suez route marks an important milestone in Maersk’s phased return to Suez transits. The company’s strategic partnership with the Suez Canal Authority has been instrumental in planning this move. Ongoing coordination with the Authority and other regional partners remains essential to ensure that this transition—and any subsequent steps toward broader trans-Suez operations—is carried out safely while maintaining reliability, predictability, and stability for customers.
First sailing of the structural change
The first voyage under the MECL service’s structural return to the trans-Suez route will be Cornelia Maersk, operating westbound on voyage 603W and departing Jebel Ali on 15 January 2026. On the eastbound leg, Maersk Detroit voyage 602E, scheduled to depart North Charleston on 10 January 2026, will be the initial sailing to transit the Suez Canal, with all subsequent voyages continuing on this routing.
