CONTAINER shipping carrier giant Maersk has successfully completed an additional sailing through the Red Sea as it continues its cautious approach to a full return.
US-flagged Maersk Denver (IMO: 9332999) sailed through the Suez Canal on January 11 and 12. It operates on Maersk’s Middle East-US east coast service. Crew and cargo passed through unharmed.
Seasearcher data showed that the vessel switched off its Automatic Identification System on January 10, when it was at Salalah Anchorage in Oman. AIS tracking resumed on January 13, near Sanganeb Anchorage in Sudan.
AIS was likely switched off to avoid detection by potential militants along the Bab el‑Mandeb strait.
The passage of the 6,248 teu Maersk Denver marks the second Red Sea transit in Maersk’s return to the Suez on its East-West voyages.
It recorded its first successful Red Sea voyage with Singapore-flagged Maersk Sebarok (IMO: 9315238) last December. AIS tracking was also switched off before entering Bab el-Mandeb and resumed after successfully passing through.
Other carriers trialling returns have also had similar practices. French carrier CMA CGM in December completed the successful sailing of CMA CGM Jacques Saade (IMO: 9839179) through the Suez Canal in its eastbound voyage to Malaysia.
Seasearcher identified a 4.9 day AIS gap beginning on December 24, a day after the Suez Canal Authority announced the vessel’s successful transit through the Suez Canal.
On December 29, AIS tracking was switched back on after CMA CGM Jacques Saade had passed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
Maersk continues to adopt a careful and considered approach to returning to the Red Sea, prioritising the safety of cargo, crew and vessel. No new sailings have been announced.
“Assuming that security thresholds continue to be met, we are considering continuing our stepwise approach towards gradually resuming navigation along the East-West corridor via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea,” said the carrier in a statement.
The Danish carrier is bracing itself for more headwinds in 2026. It expects a dip in demand for routes from Asia to the Americas on the back of recent tariffs by the Mexican government. Countries with no preferential trade agreements will be subjected to tariffs of up to 50%.
But Maersk sees potential in intra-Asia corridors as trade volumes have been growing, according to a 4Q2025 report released last week. It saw Chinese exports to Southeast Asia rise last year, as tariff exposure to the West have forced more intra-regional trade.
The trend is expected to continue as Maersk foresees more China-Asean trade following the signing of a new free trade agreement late last year.
