Maersk continues to avoid the Red Sea unlike CMA CGM

(Please read in the penultimate paragraph that CMA-CGM has not modified its navigation policy)

OSLO (Reuters) – All Maersk ships scheduled to pass through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden will be diverted south around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope for the immediate future, the company said in a statement on Friday. Danish maritime transport group while the French CMA CGM has affirmed not to change its routes in the region.

Maersk announced on January 2 that it was suspending the passage of all its ships via the Red Sea and therefore via the Suez Canal, a shortcut between Europe and Asia, after the attack on one of its boats by Yemeni rebels Houthis, and has since begun redirecting ships around Africa.

“The situation is constantly evolving and remains very volatile, and all available intelligence confirms that the security risk continues to be significantly elevated,” Maersk said on Friday.

“We have therefore decided that all Maersk vessels scheduled to pass through the Red Sea (and) the Gulf of Aden will be diverted south, around the Cape of Good Hope, for the immediate future,” the company said.

Unlike Maersk, French shipping company CMA CGM said on Friday it had not changed plans announced last month to gradually increase the number of vessels transiting the Suez Canal while being prepared to quickly reassess and adjust this. strategy if necessary.

“No change from our side,” CMA CGM said in an emailed response.

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik; French version by Dagmarah Mackos, editing by Kate Entringer and Zhifan Liu)