Hapag-Lloyd has confirmed the first sailings of its SE1 service through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, as the carrier and Maersk continue to shift selected Gemini Cooperation services away from the Cape of Good Hope route.
The 14,500-TEU Umm Qarn will operate the first westbound SE1 sailing through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The vessel is scheduled to depart Tanjung Pelepas on October 17, 2026, on its voyage towards Europe. It will also operate the first eastbound SE1 sailing via the same route, scheduled to depart Algeciras on December 5.
The SE1 service, marketed as AE12 by Maersk, connects the Far East with the Mediterranean. Its rotation includes Asian ports such as Ningbo, Shanghai and Tanjung Pelepas, followed by Mediterranean calls including Algeciras, Koper and Rijeka.
Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk announced earlier this month that SE1, along with the NE4, SE2 and IEX services, would transition from the Cape of Good Hope to the Red Sea route following an assessment of the security situation in the region. Hapag-Lloyd initially said the first SE1 sailing would be announced separately.
The move is expected to shorten voyage times compared with the longer Cape routing. Industry data cited by The Loadstar indicates that the SE1 voyage could be reduced from around 98 days to 84 days, while the number of vessels required to maintain weekly frequency could fall from 14 to 12.
Hapag-Lloyd has stressed that the return is being implemented on a gradual, service-specific basis. The carrier said transits remain subject to detailed security assessments and will take place under naval protection and in coordination with relevant authorities and security partners.
The SE1 move follows the earlier return of other Gemini services to the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have already shifted services including SE3 and additional routes as they gradually restore the shorter corridor between Asia and Europe.
The latest routing change gives shippers using SE1 a more direct Asia–Mediterranean connection, although future sailings will continue to depend on the security situation in the Red Sea region.