December 19, 2023
Dear Customer,
On Friday 15 December 2023, A.P. Moller – Maersk announced that it would pause all vessels bound for the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden over the highly escalated security situation in the area. This decision was taken to ensure the safety of our crew, vessels and customers’ cargo onboard.
Having monitored developments closely and retrieved all available intelligence, Maersk has decided that all vessels previously paused and due to sail through the region will now be re-routed around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope for safety reasons. They will continue their voyages on the diverted routes as soon as operationally feasible and we will update customers on the latest details when we know more.
For all future vessels planned to sail through the area, a case-by-case assessment will take place to determine whether adjustments need to be made – including diversions via the Cape of Good Hope and further contingency measures. We will continue to provide all information to affected customers on a vessel-by-vessel basis as soon as possible.
We have faith that a solution enabling a return to [/]using the Suez Canal and transiting through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden will be introduced [/]in the near future, but at this time it remains difficult to determine exactly when this will be. As such, getting vessels moving via the Cape of Good Hope will ultimately be a faster and more predictable outcome for customers and their supply chains.
We understand the impact this may have on your logistics operations, but please rest assured that all decisions have been carefully considered by our teams and only implemented in the name of safety.
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. We appreciate your trust and loyalty as we work through these challenging circumstances.
Sincerely,
A. P. Moller – Maersk
