Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd plan Suez return for India–Europe service

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will route their ME1 container service between India and Europe through the Suez Canal instead of around the Cape of Good Hope, Maersk announced on November 2, 2026. The customer advisory describes a service-level change within the companies’ Gemini Cooperation, rather than a blanket restoration of all sailings through the region.

The first listed westbound departure is Atlanta Express, voyage 644W, from Salalah on November 4. The eastbound schedule lists Savannah Express, voyage 644E, departing Tangier on November 13. These are planned departures, not confirmation that either vessel has already completed a canal transit.

A shorter route with a security condition

Reuters independently reported the change as another step in the carriers’ gradual return to the Asia–Europe shortcut. Its report places the move against the diversion of shipping after Red Sea attacks began disrupting the corridor in late 2023.

Maersk says the new routing should improve transit times. Its advisory does not quantify a universal number of days saved or promise a particular reduction in freight charges. The announced port rotation includes Indian gateways Mundra and Nhava Sheva and European calls including Rotterdam, Hamburg and London.

The carriers say further service changes remain dependent on stability in the Red Sea area and that they will keep monitoring regional security.

What this does—and does not—establish

A routing announcement is a timetable decision, not an independent assessment that every passage is risk-free. It also does not establish that other shipping lines will follow the same schedule. Cargo owners will need to distinguish the announced network plan from the actual itinerary of an individual shipment.

Production note: This original brief was researched and written with AI assistance for The Daily Blend Editorial, using the linked sources.

What to watch

• The advisory lists November 4 and November 13 as the first affected departures in the two directions.
• Subsequent carrier notices will establish any revisions to those plans as security conditions are monitored.