Maersk Sebarok crosses Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the first Red Sea passage in nearly two years, with heightened security measures in place.
In the early hours of December 19, the container ship Maersk Sebarok, built in 2007 and flying the Singapore flag, successfully navigated through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, reaching the Red Sea.
This marks the first time in nearly two years that a Maersk vessel has traversed this critical maritime route.
According to a company statement, the highest level of security measures was implemented during the transit of the 6,500 TEU capacity vessel, which is currently operating in Maersk's MECL service.
While Maersk emphasized that this passage is a significant development, it clarified that it does not signify the complete resumption of the East-West trade route through the Suez Canal.
The company stated, “Provided that security thresholds continue to be met, we plan to maintain our phased approach towards gradually resuming navigation in the East-West corridor via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.”
Maersk views this passage as a first step towards returning to the Red Sea route, suggesting that a limited number of additional Suez transit voyages may occur in the future. However, it was noted that the company currently has no planned new sailing schedule.
