Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd Extends Red Sea Route Diversion

by John Konrad (gCaptain) Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd will continue to divert its vessels around the Suez Canal for security reasons, a spokesperson for the company said today. This news comes just hours after Denmark’s Maersk announced it will decide tomorrow whether to resume sending vessels through the Suez Canal via the Red Sea or redirect them around Africa following a weekend missile and boat swarm attack by Houthis on Maersk Hangzhou.

“We monitor the situation closely day-by-day, but will continue to reroute our vessels until Jan. 9,” the spokesperson for Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth biggest container liner, told Reuters. “The company will decide on that day whether or not to continue rerouting ships.”

According to Reuters, Maersk alliance partner Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) will also continue to divert its vessels via the Cape of Good Hope.

While Maersk was the first European container line to pause Red Sea sailings following the targeting of Maersk Gibraltar on December 13th, they were also among the first – along with CMA CGM – to return to the Red Sea. Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd has been more cautious it will keep its vessels away from the Red Sea even after the launch of a US-led taskforce – Operation Prosperity Guardian – to protect the key route from militant attacks. 

The container liner said it will continue to reroute its vessels via the Cape of Good Hope, a detour of several thousand miles compared to the Suez Canal. It follows an onslaught of attacks on merchant ships — by Yemeni rebels acting in support of the Palestinians — on a route that handles about 12% of global trade. 

Also Read: 299 Containerships Reroute to Avoid the Red Sea, Doubling in Number from Last Week

The Hangzhou, which was hit by an unknown object during the attack, was able to continue on its way with LSEG shipping data showing the vessel now close to the Suez Canal.

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