Recently, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd announced that in 2025, the Gemini cooperation service will continue to route via the Cape of Good Hope, bypassing the unstable Red Sea region. Maersk’s customer notice stated: “After thorough consideration and in light of ongoing security concerns in the Red Sea, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk confirm their plans to launch the Gemini cooperation, gradually rolling out the Cape of Good Hope network from February 1, 2025.”

Maersk’s Chief Commercial Officer, Karsten Kildahl, explained that this decision, made about four months ahead of the Gemini launch, aims to "give customers ample time to plan their operations effectively."

Hapag-Lloyd added that while it aims for an “orderly transition to Suez Canal crossings as soon as conditions allow,” many “currently unknown factors” make it difficult to predict an exact timeline.

The goal of the Gemini service is to achieve over 90% schedule reliability once fully operational. A Hapag-Lloyd spokesperson noted: “The Cape of Good Hope network follows the same design principles as the Suez network, ensuring service reliability and efficiency are not compromised. Despite disruptions in the Red Sea region, we maintain flexibility, efficiency, and resilience.”

The Gemini Cape Network will comprise 29 trunk services, supported by 28 regional liner services, operating with a fleet of around 340 vessels, with a total capacity of 3.7 million TEUs.