The Gemini cooperation, made up of shipping companies Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, has announced the launch of a new regular container service between the Far East and the Strait of Gibraltar, directly connecting several Asian ports with Algeciras and Tanger Med. The new line, designated AE18 by Maersk and SE5 by Hapag-Lloyd, will begin operating on November 22 and is part of a reorganization of the maritime services the two companies operate between Asia and Europe.
The new connection will have a rotation covering the Chinese ports of Shanghai and Xiamen, the Malaysian port of Tanjung Pelepas, and the two main transshipment hubs in the Gemini network in the Strait of Gibraltar. The planned itinerary will be Shanghai, Xiamen, Tanjung Pelepas, Algeciras, Tanger Med, Algeciras, and Xiamen, with two calls at the port facilities in Algeciras.
The first voyage will be operated by the container ship Maersk Edirne, which is scheduled to depart Shanghai on November 22 on voyage 647W. The service will use the Red Sea maritime corridor and the Suez Canal, as part of the reorganization of Gemini routes that previously sailed around the Cape of Good Hope.
In addition to directly connecting Asia with both ports in the Strait, AE18 will enable the transport of goods originating in the Far East to West Africa and the east coast of South America via transshipment operations in Algeciras and Tanger Med.
The launch of this line will be accompanied by changes to other services in the cooperation. According to Maersk, AE18 will take over some of the connections currently operated by the AE2, AE11, and AE12 services through the ports in the Strait, while also adding Xiamen to the network's coverage.
For AE2, which connects Asia with northern Europe, the shipping company will replace its call at Tanger Med with a call at Rotterdam on the westbound route. This change will take effect with the departure of the Moscow Maersk from Ningbo, scheduled for November 15, and will enable the reorganization of connections between Asian ports and northern Europe.
Another change affects the AE12 service, which links the Far East with the Adriatic ports of Koper, Slovenia, and Rijeka, Croatia. This line will stop making its two calls at Algeciras, which will be replaced by two calls at Port Said East, Egypt. The new rotation will also include Colombo, Sri Lanka, from where connections to southern India and Bangladesh will be offered. The first arrival in Colombo under this configuration is scheduled for January 12, 2027, aboard the Alva Maersk.
For its part, the AE11 service will add a westbound call at Salalah, Oman, and replace its call at Tanger Med with Port Said. The change will connect the Omani port with Mediterranean destinations such as Valencia, Barcelona, La Spezia, and Genoa. The first affected voyage will be that of the Estelle Maersk, departing Shanghai on November 17.
The reorganization also includes changes to AE19, where the call at Shanghai will be replaced by Nansha, China. The new configuration will include Damietta, Egypt, and will be introduced with the voyage of the Ane Maersk, scheduled to depart Xingang on November 18.
At the same time, Maersk has announced changes to the ME2 service, which connects India with northern Europe and includes Algeciras among its calls. Its new rotation will add Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, beginning with the voyage of the Maersk Tukang, which is scheduled to arrive at the Saudi port on December 20.
Regarding connections with the Middle East, the two shipping companies have also scheduled the resumption of the FM1 service between Asia and the port of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates. Its first voyage was scheduled to depart Qingdao on October 17 aboard the Maersk Athabasca, with arrival in Khor Fakkan scheduled for November 16. This rotation avoids transit through the Strait of Hormuz and maintains connections with the region via the Emirati port.
