Maersk declared a temporary halt to all ships scheduled for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden routes in light of the recent incident involving Maersk Hangzhou and ongoing developments in the area.
'The situation is constantly evolving and remains highly volatile, and all available intelligence at hand confirms that the security risk continues to be at a significantly elevated level. We have therefore decided that all Maersk vessels due to transit the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden will be diverted south around the Cape of Good Hope for the foreseeable future', the company mentions.
'We understand the potential impact this will have on your logistics operations, but please rest assured that all decisions have been carefully considered and ultimately prioritise the safety of our vessels, seafarers and your cargo.'
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'By suspending voyages through the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden, we hope to bring our customers more consistency and predictability despite the associated delays that come with the re-routing.
While we continue to hope for a sustainable resolution in the near-future and do all we can to contribute towards it, we do encourage customers to prepare for complications in the area to persist and for there to be significant disruption to the global network. Our teams are on hand to support with your planning, should you need any assistance.
Vessel contingencies will continue to be communicated with customers on a case-by-case basis. Please also continue to visit our online tracker, which will be updated with the latest scheduling information as soon as it becomes available.
The previously announced Transit Disruption Surcharge (TDS), Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) and Emergency Contingency Surcharge (ECS) for all cargo on vessels affected by the disruptions around the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden remain in effect. Please click here for more information on exports from Far East Asia, or click here for exports from all other locations.
We greatly appreciate your trust, loyalty and understanding as we work through these challenging circumstances. Should you have any questions or wish to discuss options for your cargo, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Maersk representative.'
Source: Maersk