Maersk navigates Red Sea route again as Gaza ceasefire holds

Danish shipping firm Maersk MAERSKb.CO said on Monday that another of its vessels successfully navigated the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, weeks after it tested the route as a ceasefire in Gaza raised hopes for normal shipping traffic.

Shipping companies are weighing a return to the critical Asia-Europe trade corridor more than two years after they started rerouting vessels around Africa's Cape of Good Hope following Yemeni Houthi rebels' attacks on ships in the Red Sea in what they said was a show of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

"On 11-12 January 2026, the U.S.-flagged vessel Maersk Denver voyage 552W, currently operating on the MECL service, successfully transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and into the Red Sea," Maersk said in a statement.

Maersk's Sebarok vessel in December navigated the route for the first time in nearly two years.

"Assuming that security thresholds continue to be met, we will continue our stepwise approach towards gradually resuming navigation along the East-West corridor via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. There are no additional sailings to announce at this time," Maersk added on Monday.

The Suez Canal is the fastest route linking Europe and Asia and until the Houthi attacks had accounted for about 10% of global seaborne trade, according to Clarksons Research.

The ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, in place since October last year, has renewed hope of normalizing Red Sea traffic.

The ceasefire has ended major combat in Gaza over the past three months, but both sides have accused the other of regular violations. More than 440 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been killed since the truce took effect.

-Rishabh Jaiswal/Reuters