FAQ for the Red Sea situation

--> Update February 2, 2024

All schedules for voyages starting in February have been updated to show the Cape of Good Hope routing. Please refer to our interactive schedule here.

--> Update January 23, 2024

Due to the ongoing security concerns, we will continue to divert our vessels via the Cape of Good Hope until further notice. We are continuously reviewing the situation and will revert to routing our vessels through the Red Sea and Suez Canal when it is deemed safe. 

--> Update January 19, 2024

Inland solutions for cargo connectivity – here’s an update for your Red Sea cargo planning

--> Update January 16, 2024

Shipping to and from Türkiye and Egypt? Here are your options for the Red Sea situation

--> Update January 15, 2024

The situation is unchanged. We will reassess the situation on Monday, January 22, 2024.

--> Update January 9, 2024 

The situation remains too dangerous to transit the Suez Canal and we will continue our diversion around the Cape of Good Hope. We will reassess the situation on Monday, January 15, 2024.

--> Update January 3, 2024

Here`s an update on the Red Sea situation

--> Update December 28, 2023

Here’s an update on the vessels transiting though the Red Sea

--> Update December 27, 2023

Following our latest Red Sea and Suez Canal update, the situation remains too dangerous to cross the Suez Canal and therefore we will maintain our diversion around the Cape of Good Hope. The safety of our crew is our first priority and we appreciate your understanding as we navigate through these circumstances. Our teams are continuously monitoring the developments and we will regularly reassess the situation. Rest assured that we will resume our services through the Suez Canal when it is deemed safe for our vessels, crews and your cargo on board.

--> Update December 22, 2023

With no improvements on the current situation, our vessels continue to be routed via the Cape of Good Hope. Please keep in mind that in line with this very fluid situation, our schedules will be updated once our vessels are close to departing the last port.

At this momrnt, all vessels in the Red Sea have been instructed to proceed north bound back to the Mediterranean to continue their voyage around the Cape of Good Hope.

We are in the process of stabilizing our service to continue connecting your cargo to and from the Red Sea. Therefore, we have started to utilize vessels to move cargo from Damietta, EG to Jeddah, SA. This direct connection will enable delivering cargo to other Red Sea Ports with 3 departures in the next 2 weeks. The intetion will be to consolidate imports to Red Sea in the Mediterranean and thereafter transport them to Jeddah.

What are our options for export shipments from Jeddah?

The shuttle system will prioritize clearing the existing cargo, and thereafter we would like to open the booking acceptance in the upcoming weeks. With this adjustment, we expect longer transit times as we shift from direct to transshipment products. We will be sharing these details in the next days.

--> Update December 20, 2023

As we continue to provide updates on the situation in the Red Sea and the avoidance of the Suez Canal transit, we would like to guide you through the main concerns related to your cargo planning. In the following sections, we will expand on some of the main topics which we will continue to develop as soon as more information becomes available.

I’ve booked cargo on a service that was originally scheduled to transit through Suez

We are constantly monitoring our vessels within all our services usually scheduled to transit the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Therefore, each vessel’s schedule is assessed individually to allow modifications which typically occur at the last port of departure before transiting these areas. The reason for perhaps a “last minute” decision, is to enable our vessels to easily go back to their original schedule if the safety to transit these areas is restored.

I’ve got cargo destined to go to ports located in the Red Sea

With the above in mind, your cargo planning might be impacted with delays, especially for bookings that were originally destined for ports in the Red Sea. For cargo already loaded on the affected vessels, rest assured we are working around the clock with our teams and our partners to find the most suitable solution.

Our aim, along with that of our partners, is to minimize the impact of this situation and continue to offer you service to ports in the Red Sea.

I would like to view the latest information for my booking

As mentioned above, your bookings might undergo changes after leaving the last port of loading before transiting the Red Sea and Suez Canal. These changes will be reflected as a change of the estimated time of arrival in your routing. This means that your originally expected transit time will probably be extended because that specific booking could be transiting via Cape of Good Hope instead of Suez Canal.

Please keep in mind that the booking party will receive updates, so ensure that communication is established within your organization. Each update is clearly highlighted for your ease, allowing you to see the latest changes as soon as they are made available.

For your reference, the passage via Cape of Good Hope adds between 7 to 14 days to your shipment’s journey impacting the arrival date at the destination.

I have booked in a service but I’m not sure if my shipment is affected

As mentioned above, the booking party will receive updates as they are made available. To give you an overview, we have grouped below the trades and services affected by this situation.

However, to view the latest vessels, please remember to visit our live ticker here.

Europe to Middle East services in both directions

• Indian Ocean Service (IOS)
• South East India – Europe Express (IEX)
• Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean Express (IMX)
• Indian Ocean Service 3 (IO3)
• Gulf East Med Service (GEM) - we are assessing the situation for this service and will have more information as soon as possible.

Asia to Mediterranean in both directions

• Mediterranean Service 1 (MD1)
• Mediterranean Service 2 (MD2)
• Mediterranean Service 3 (MD3)

Asia to North Europe in both directions

• Far East Loop 2 (FE2)
• Far East Loop 3 (FE3)
• Far East Loop 4 (FE4)
• Far East Loop 9 (FE9)
• Far East Pacific 1 (FP1)

Transpacific: Asia and Middle East to North America in both directions

• Indamex India America Express (TPI)
• Indamex 2 (IN2) – no cargo from the Middle East to the Mediterranean or Red Sea to be loaded on these services
• East Coast Loop 1 (EC1)
• East Coast Loop 2 (EC2)
• East Coast Loop 5 (EC5)
• East Coast Loop 6 (EC6)
• Asia US East Coast Service 7 (AA7)

Asia to Red Sea in both directions

• Asia Red Sea Service (AR1) – we are assessing the situation with our partners and will have more information as soon as possible.

Please remember to bookmark and visit our live ticker here. If you would like to view our vessels’ schedule information, please visit our vessel tracker in our Online Business Suite. If you have questions concerning the above changes, please contact our teams at your location, who will be happy to guide you based on your individual situation.