Hapag-Lloyd signals further return to Suez Canal route
Hapag-Lloyd expects additional shipping services to return to the Suez Canal in the coming period, as the German container carrier continues monitoring security conditions in the Red Sea and developments affecting navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The outlook was discussed during a meeting between Suez Canal Authority Chairman Admiral Ossama Rabiee and Juan Pablo Richards, Hapag-Lloyd’s Regional Head for Southern Europe, at the authority’s headquarters in Ismailia, Egypt.
According to the Suez Canal Authority, two Hapag-Lloyd services connecting Asia and Europe are already operating through the canal, while further services are expected to resume transits as conditions allow.
However, the carrier has not announced specific additional services or confirmed a timetable for their return.
Hapag-Lloyd monitors Red Sea security conditions
During the meeting, Richards highlighted the company’s longstanding cooperation with the Suez Canal Authority and expressed hope that improvements in navigation conditions would continue.
He explained that Hapag-Lloyd is closely monitoring developments in the Red Sea region, particularly maritime safety indicators, before making further decisions on its sailing schedules.
These assessments will determine how the company adjusts its services as vessel transits gradually return through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal.
The discussions come as shipping companies continue evaluating the operational implications of returning to the Red Sea route, following a period of disruption that has affected international container shipping networks.
The Suez Canal Authority reiterated its readiness to accommodate the return of shipping services and highlighted its ongoing efforts to develop navigation services and modernise its fleet.
Rabiee expressed hope that Hapag-Lloyd would eventually restore its full range of services through the canal, emphasising the waterway’s role in maintaining global supply chain connectivity.
Potential cooperation at Damietta Port
The meeting also addressed opportunities for broader cooperation between Hapag-Lloyd and the Suez Canal Authority.
One area under consideration involves the authority’s Maritime Training and Simulation Academy and the Damietta Alliance Container Handling Terminal, known as Tahya Misr 1, at Damietta Port.
Richards expressed interest in potential cooperation between the two organisations to provide training for shipmasters.
Hapag-Lloyd is a major investor in the Damietta Alliance terminal, creating an opportunity to explore cooperation in maritime training and operational expertise.
No formal agreement or implementation timetable for the proposed training cooperation was announced.
The meeting was also attended by Marwan El-Sammak, Chairman of Hapag-Lloyd’s Egypt operations, alongside senior officials from the Suez Canal Authority’s planning and transit departments.
For Hapag-Lloyd, any further restoration of Suez Canal services will depend on its assessment of regional security and navigation conditions. The discussions indicate continued interest in expanding the carrier’s use of the waterway, although additional service returns have yet to be formally confirmed.
