The shipping giant paused sending vessels through the Bab
el-Mandeb strait earlier in December due to attacks against its ships. That
rendered the Suez Canal, which is key to global commerce, unusable for most
routes.
The United States said on Tuesday it was launching a
multinational operation to protect commerce in the Red Sea from Iran-backed
Yemeni militants, who have been firing drones and missiles at international
vessels since last month in what they say is a response to Israel's war in
Gaza.
"As of Sunday 24 December 2023, we have received
confirmation that the previously announced multi-national security initiative
Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) has now been set up and deployed to allow
maritime commerce to pass through the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden and once again
return to using the Suez Canal as a gateway between Asia and Europe,"
Masersk said in a statement on Sunday.
"With the OPG initiative in operation, we are preparing
to allow for vessels to resume transit through the Red Sea both eastbound and
westbound."
Maersk said it would release more details in coming days.
But it said it could again resort to diverting ship traffic depending on how
safety conditions evolved.
On Tuesday, Maersk said it was rerouting ships around Africa
via the Cape of Good Hope. It said it would impose container surcharges for
shipments from Asia to cover the extra costs associated with the longer
journey.
Several other firms have stopped transiting the Red Sea on safety concerns in recent weeks, as has oil major BP (BP.L). -Reuters