Maersk quietly returns to the Red Sea and will not initiate a comprehensive resumption of flights for now
Recently, global shipping giant Maersk has taken a crucial step towards returning to the Red Sea.
According to foreign media reports, Maersk's "Maersk Sebarok" vessel successfully crossed the Mandeb Strait and entered the Red Sea waters between December 18th and 19th. For safety reasons, the AIS signal has been turned off since December 16th.
Maersk officials stated that the highest level of security measures were taken when passing through high-risk areas. This is the first time in nearly two years since the outbreak of the Red Sea crisis that Maersk container ships have restarted this route. According to the data, the Maersk Sebarok vessel serves MECL routes, mainly connecting the markets of India, the Middle East, and the East Coast of the United States.
Despite the iconic significance of this voyage, Maersk has shown great caution. The company emphasizes that this does not mean that its east-west main air route network will immediately return to the Suez Canal. Maersk defines it as an important step towards returning to the Red Sea and has revealed that it will subsequently arrange a "limited number" of additional voyages through the Suez Canal.
Maersk has explicitly stated that "the company is considering gradually restoring traffic in the area while the safety threshold continues to be met." However, as of now, Maersk has not disclosed more detailed follow-up plans.
Maersk's ice breaking move has sparked strong reactions within the industry. Analysts generally believe that as an industry leader, Maersk's move sends a positive signal to the market.
Sydbank analyst Haider Anjum said, "This sends a clear signal to other shipping companies that the situation may be rapidly improving. We believe that more companies will follow up on this arrangement after the New Year
Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, shares the same view and sees this move as the industry's "first step towards normalization". He pointed out that Maersk's decision to publicly disclose this voyage demonstrates its confidence in the current security situation, which will prompt competitors to sit down and reassess the possibility of returning to the Red Sea.
Lars Jensen further analyzed that Maersk's approach is consistent with its executives' consistent emphasis on a "safety first, gradual recovery" strategy.
Regarding the comprehensive resumption schedule that the market is concerned about, the industry believes that the resumption of operations in the Red Sea is a necessary path for the consolidation market to return to normalcy, and its occurrence is only a matter of time. Lars Jensen predicts that mid February 2026 will be the best window period for the comprehensive restoration of Red Sea passage. Based on this judgment, Maersk's first "trial run" may be laying the groundwork and testing for strategic adjustments at this critical time point.