The 8,648 teu CLEMENTINE MAERSK deployed on Maersk's Middle East-India to East Coast US (MECL) service has made the first passage through the Bab el-Mandeb by a Maersk vessel since 1 March 2026. The ship made is westbound Suez Canal passage on 13 June 2026 on its way from Salalah to New York, marking the first trans-Suez passage by Maersk since the start of the Iran war. Maersk had announced earlier in December 2025 that the MECL service will return to the Suez route but reversed its decision wh
Maersk has announced the launch of a new Far East-West Coast South America AC1 service connecting Ningbo, Busan, Lazaro Cardenas, Buenaventura, Guayaquil, Ningbo from 4 July 2026. The service will turn in 56 days deploying 8 ships of 3,400 to 4,600 teu starting with the first sailing at Ningbo on 4 July 2026 with the 4,298 teu REN JIAN 8, followed in successive weeks by the 4,253 teu KOTA LUKIS, 4,578 teu DYROS, 4,250 teu NAVIOS DORADO and 3,316 teu HUA XIN 758.
Maersk will relaunch the Intra-Asia PH1 service in a revised rotation calling at Busan, Xingang, Qingdao, Xiamen, Manila, Nansha, Hong Kong, Busan from 6 June 2026. The service will turn in 28 days using 4 ships of 2,100 to 3,500 teu starting with the 2,174 teu PHOENIX D at Manila on 6 June.
Maersk will launch a new Qilin service calling at Shanghai, Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai from 24 July 2026. The service will turn in 5 weeks and will deploy 5 ships that are still to be named. It will offer the fastest transit time from Shanghai to Sydney and Melbourne at 14 days and 17 days respectively compared to 18 days and 21 days currently on Maersk's Dragon service.
Maersk will launch a new Far East-India Subcontinent 2 (FI2) service connecting Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Nhava Sheva, Pipavav, Port Qasim, Shanghai from 4 June 2026. The FI2 will turn in 42 days and will deploy 6 ships of 3,500 to 5,900 teu starting with the 4,496 teu MAERSK COTONOU. The service will complement Maersk’s existing Far East-India Subcontinent 3 (FI3) service that it operates jointly with X-Press Feeders.
Maersk will add a Seasonal Transpacific Loader (TPX) service connecting Cai Mep, Busan, Long Beach, Cai Mep from 8 June 2026. The TPX will turn in 49 days and will deploy 5 to 7 ships of 3,500 to 4,600 teu starting with the 4,395 teu REN JIAN 16. The seasonal loader will operate until September 2026 with 10 sailings currently scheduled and additional sailings to be added depending on market demand.
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have amended their Gemini Cooperation Agreement to modify the timing of discussions regarding potential seasonal blank sailings with the new arrangement taking effect from March 2026. Under the previous terms of the agreement that started from 1 February 2025, the 2 carriers are authorised to blank sailings only during Chinese New Year or Chinese Golden Week provided such agreement is reached no later than 12 weeks prior to the scheduled date of the sailing. The revised
Maersk will launch a new SLA Baltic Sea service connecting the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea from 11 May 2026. The SLA service will call at Tanger Med, Gdansk, Bremerhaven, Vado Ligure, Port Said, Alexandria, Tanger Med, turning in 35 days using 5 ships of 4,200 to 5,000 teu starting with the 4,822 teu MAERSK MAKUTU at Tanger Med on 11 May 2026. (Originally scheduled to launch on 4 May but delayed by 1 week)
Maersk has launched a new Intra-Asia 98 (IA98) service connecting Ningbo, Shanghai, Sihanoukville, Laem Chabang, Ningbo from 3 April 2026. The service will turn in 3 weeks and deploys 3 ships of 1,700-1,900 teu starting with the 1,802 teu MAERSK VISBY at Ningbo on 3 April 2026, followed by the 1,781 teu MTT PORT KELANG and 1,930 teu ERASMUS PASSION.
Maersk has launched a new Intra Asia 4 (IA4) service that connects Xingang, Qingdao, Xiamen, Manila North, Tanjung Pelepas, Jakarta, Tanjung Pelepas, Batangas, Nansha, Hong Kong, Busan, Xingang from 30 March 2026. The service turns in 42 days using 6 ships of 2,100 t0 3,500 teu starting with the 3,398 teu IRENES RAY at Xingaong on 30 March 2026.