OSLO: Shipping group Maersk will resume sailings via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal for its MECL service, connecting the Middle East and India with the US east coast, the Danish company said on Thursday.
“Maersk has decided to implement a structural return to the trans-Suez route for all MECL service sailings,” the company said in a statement, adding that this was part of a stepwise approach for its fleet.
Shipping companies are weighing a return to the critical Asia-Europe trade corridor more than two years after they started rerouting vessels around Africa following Yemeni Houthi rebels’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea in what they said was a show of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
Maersk on Monday said one of its vessels had tested the route as a ceasefire in Gaza raised hopes for normal shipping traffic.
The change for the MECL service comes into effect with a sailing departing Oman’s port of Salalah on January 26.
The Suez Canal is the fastest route linking Europe and Asia and, until the Houthi attacks, had accounted for about 10 percent of global seaborne trade, according to Clarksons Research.
The ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, in place since October last year, has renewed hope of normalizing Red Sea traffic.
The ceasefire has ended major combat in Gaza over the past three months, but both sides have accused the other of regular violations. More than 440 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been killed since the truce took effect.
Maersk to resume Suez Canal sailings for MECL service
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Maersk to resume Suez Canal sailings for MECL service
- Shipping companies are weighing a return to the critical Asia-Europe trade corridor more than two years after they started rerouting vessels around Africa following Yemeni Houthi rebels’ attacks
Jordan, Lebanon sign 21 economic cooperation agreements across various fields
RIYADH: Jordan and Lebanon have sealed 21 cooperation agreements across various fields, including energy, electrical interconnection, and industry.
Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and his Lebanese counterpart, Nawaf Salam, witnessed the signing of the deals between the two countries, following their chairing of the eighth session of the Jordanian-Lebanese Joint Higher Committee in Beirut, the Jordan News Agency, or Petra, reported.
Additional areas of cooperation included trade, investment, and tourism, as well as transport and several service sectors.
This reflects the ongoing trade relationship between the two countries. In 2023, Jordan exported $101 million worth of goods to Lebanon, while Lebanon exported $111 million to Jordan, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
Petra stated: “In joint press statements after the signing of the agreements, Hassan said that Jordan will continue, as it always has, to support Lebanon and to stand by its security, stability and sovereignty.”
It added: “He stressed that supporting Lebanon is a firm Jordanian position under the continuous guidance of His Majesty King Abdullah II, who tasked him with working intensively to translate the historic relations between the two countries into comprehensive cooperation across all fields.”
The prime minister noted that despite the absence of a shared border between Jordan and Lebanon, the two nations are closely connected through long-standing ties of communication, cooperation, and integration at both official and public levels, extending across economic and cultural spheres.
He further stated that both countries are committed to reinforcing these ties and advancing their relationship, with the next phase expected to see broader institutional cooperation that serves the interests of Jordan and Lebanon.
Hassan underlined that the Joint Jordanian-Lebanese Higher Committee convened again, highlighting the two sides’ commitment to maintaining and regularly holding these meetings in line with the strong fraternal ties.
The prime minister added that both sides agreed to maintain ongoing communication and coordination among ministers, officials, and technical teams to ensure the implementation of the agreed accords and to explore future areas of cooperation in ways that serve the interests of both countries and their peoples.
