As of 12 October, six Gemini services were using the Red Sea and Suez Canal, even though the partners had not yet agreed to return to the full network. Gemini has not yet formally committed to the timetable, and it is simply an expectation at this point

The Gemini Cooperation between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd is adding a new Asia-West Mediterranean service through the Suez Canal in November, according to a Maersk customer advisory. The service, designated AE18 by Maersk and Asia South Europe 5, or SE5, by Hapag-Lloyd, will connect Shanghai and Xiamen in China with Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia and the western Mediterranean hubs of Algeciras and Tangier.  Its rotation is Shanghai, Xiamen, Tanjung Pelepas, Suez Canal, Algeciras, Port Tangier Med, Algeciras, Suez Canal and Xiamen

The first sailing is scheduled to depart from Shanghai on 22 November aboard the Maersk Edirne (IMO 9502867, MMSI 219769000 -sailing under the flag of Denmark )on voyage 647W.  AE18 will operate alongside AE19 to consolidate Gemini’s existing Western Mediterranean hub coverage. These network changes are also intended to improve connections from Asia to West Africa and the east coast of Latin America. The launch is part of a wider November reshaping of Gemini’s Asia-Europe network. Maersk is changing its AE2, AE11 and AE19 services, while Hapag-Lloyd is revising its NE1 and SE1-SE4 rotations.  

Related: Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd report an Asia-Mediterranean service via the Suez Canal

Six of the Gemini services used the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. 

As of 12 October, six Gemini services were already using the Red Sea and Suez Canal, although the partners had not committed to a full network return.  Rolf Habben Jansen, chief executive of Hapag-Lloyd, said he expected 'more or less all of our services' to be back through the Suez Canal by the end of the first quarter of 2027, potentially with one or two exceptions, if conditions remain stable. The timetable is still just an expectation rather than a formal commitment from Gemini. Another four Gemini services — AE5, AE11, AE12 and AE2 under Maersk’s naming system — were due to switch to the trans-Suez route in September, joining AE15 and AE19. 

About: A.P. Moller-Maersk

A.P. Moller-Maersk is a Danish integrated logistics group with container shipping, logistics services and terminal operations in almost 130 countries and more than 100,000 employees

About: Hapag-Lloyd AG

Hapag-Lloyd AG is a German container shipping company operating around 300 vessels with aggregate capacity of about 2.5m TEU. Its liner network comprises 129 services connecting more than 600 ports.  

About: Gemini Cooperation 

Gemini Cooperation is the long-term operational partnership between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd on their main east-west container trades. It began operations on 1 February 2025, with around 340 vessels scheduled to be phased into the network.

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