Shipping giant Maersk to return to Red Sea under US task force

Shipping giant Maersk، the world’s second-largest container line، stated that it’s preparing to resume shipping through the Red Sea، thanks to a new multi-national maritime and US task force to protect vessels from attacks by Houthi rebels from Yemen and it is currently working on plans for the first vessels to make the transit and for this to happen as soon as operationally possible. 

Shipping giant Maersk، the world’s second largest container line، said it’s preparing to resume shipping through the Red Sea and to ensure the safety of its employees which is of the utmost importance and the number one priority in handling the challenging situation in the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden area.

Shipping giant Maersk made this announcement just two days after the Copenhagen-based company said it envisions chaos in the Red Sea، caused by drone attacks from Houthis over the Israel-Hamas war، to continue for months. 

A maritime task force is set up by the US and allies

Bloomberg Agency News reported that shipping giant Maersk said in its statement، that the creation of Operation Prosperity Guardian، a maritime task force set up by the US and allies، is  most welcome news for the entire industry as the US and its allies affirmed they are considering possible military action against the Houthis، which are backed by Iran. 

Maersk stressed that، while resuming transit in the Red Sea، the overall risk is not eliminated in the area and it would not hesitate to re-evaluate the safety situation for its vessels and employees amid worries that the Israel-Hamas war may spiral into a regional conflict، while the US accused Iran of being behind an attack on a tanker in the Indian Ocean.

Houthi attacks on merchant ships have caused widespread avoidance of the southern Red Sea

Shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk indicated that Houthi attacks on merchant ships have caused widespread avoidance of the southern Red Sea by the merchant fleet moving everything from manufactured goods and grains to oil and gas.

Thanks to US task force and the American Navy destroyer، Denmark’s Maersk is preparing to resume shipping operations in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden، as the deployment of a U.S.-led military operation designed to ensure the safety of commerce in the area.

Maersk paused sending vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb strait

Shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk paused sending vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb strait earlier in December due to attacks against its ships and that rendered the Suez Canal، which is key to global commerce، unusable for most routes.

Shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk felt comfartable when the United States said it was launching a multinational operation to protect commerce in the Red Sea from Iran-backed Yemeni militants، who have been firing drones and missiles at international vessels since last month in what they say is a response to Israel’s war in Gaza.

Maersk has received confirmation that OPG has now been set up and deployed

Shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk has received confirmation that the previously announced multi-national security initiative Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) has now been set up and deployed to allow maritime commerce to pass through the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden and once again return to using the Suez Canal as a gateway between Asia and Europe.

Shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk explained that it would release more details in the coming days، but it could again resort to diverting ship traffic depending on how safety conditions evolved، while with the OPG initiative in operation، it is preparing to allow for vessels to resume transit through the Red Sea both eastbound and westbound.

Maersk is rerouting ships around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope

Shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk was rerouting ships around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope and it would impose container surcharges for shipments from Asia to cover the extra costs associated with the longer journey as several other firms have stopped transiting the Red Sea on safety concerns in recent weeks، as has oil major BP.

Maersk announced plans to resume shipments through the Red Sea after suspending operations earlier this month due to missile and drone attacks on vessels in the region as Maersk is one of several global shipping giants to reroute vessels away from the key commercial route due to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels' attacks from Yemen، but the firm cited the deployment of a U.S.-led multinational maritime security force as the reason why it had decided to return.

Overall risks in the Red Sea are not eliminated

Shipping and logistics giant A.P. Moller Maersk company warned  that the overall risk in the area is not eliminated and it could again  initiate diversion plans  if there are further safety concerns in the Red Sea as the Houthis began attacking merchant ships before or after they moved through the Suez Canal in October in response to the Israel-Hamas war.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced last week the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian in response to the attacks، which Pentagon officials said will serve the highway patrol in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to respond to and assist as necessary commercial vessels companies such as A.P. Moller Maersk and BP  that are transiting this vital international waterway and U.S. Central Command confirmed that an American Navy destroyer had shot down four drones Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen patrolling in the southern Red Sea as part of OPG.