Suez Canal return still uncertain as Gemini network holds Cape route

The latest update from Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, the two carriers forming the Gemini Cooperation, confirms that there is no specific date yet for returning their East–West services through the Suez Canal even as the global shipping community continues to follow developments closely.

Launched in February 2025, the Gemini network was built around a Cape of Good Hope routing because of continued disruptions in the Red Sea. From the start, both Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk said the Suez-based route would be restored when regional conditions allowed safe passage.

In their 26 November 2025 update, the Gemini partners Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk reiterated that although they remain committed to eventually returning to a Suez-based East–West network, the safety of crew, vessels and cargo remains their main priority. They said they are carrying out “detailed security assessments” and will coordinate with customers before making any routing changes, adding that for now they will continue with the Cape route.

For Asian shippers, this means that while signals from the region have improved, scheduling reliability still depends on the longer alternate route.

Kuehne+Nagel also informed customers that carriers currently have no specific timing for resuming Red Sea sailings and will keep their existing routings until further notice.

Maersk’s advisory repeated that a return to the Trans-Suez corridor will only happen when it is considered safe and sustainable, emphasising that security remains the deciding factor.

In contrast, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) announced on 25 November that vessel traffic is gradually returning to normal, with navigation schedules resuming and transits being supported across the Canal. The SCA highlighted its readiness to handle full traffic and emphasised that operational conditions have improved, allowing ships to begin transiting once again. The advisories are coming just after this update from SCA, showing that while the Canal is technically ready for more traffic, carriers continue to prioritise security and have not yet set a timeline for resuming regular sailings.

A recent development reported earlier, the transit of CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin through the Suez Canal showed the canal’s operational readiness, but the latest update from the Gemini partners suggests that major carriers are still not ready to follow immediately.

In short, the Suez route remains an option for the future, but for now the Gemini partners continue to take a cautious approach, keeping the return to regular Red Sea passage gradual and dependent on security assessments.