AP Møller‑Maersk AS will steer the Maersk Majestic through the Suez Canal for the first time since the Iran war, signalling confidence that a ceasefire will hold. The vessel, positioned in the Gulf of Oman, will cut weeks off the Asia‑Europe journey that had been avoided because of Houthi attacks on merchant ships since 2023.

The move follows a thorough security review and is executed in a vessel‑sharing agreement with Hapag‑Lloyd AG. Hapag‑Lloyd labels the step "gradual and reversible," while analysts warn that a surge in Red Sea traffic will reveal overcapacity and pressure freight rates.

In early trading, Maersk shares fell 7 % and Hapag‑Lloyd shares slipped 4 %, as investors anticipate lower margins from a tighter market. Maersk had cautioned that it could record its first loss in a decade as new vessels launch simultaneously with the route’s reopening, yet the company recently raised profit guidance thanks to higher rates driven by Middle East disruptions.

Before Houthi hostilities, roughly 10 % of global trade used the Red Sea corridor. The resurgence of attacks in June, following the Iran conflict, and a recent Vanguard‑reported ambush of the Lady Naeima underscore the ongoing security risk for shipping.