Gemini Cooperation, a joint initiative by Hapag-Lloyd AG and Maersk A/S, will commence operations on February 1, 2025, as previously announced, utilising the Cape of Good Hope while the situation in the Red Sea continues to normalise.
"The ambition is to deliver a fast, flexible, interconnected ocean network with industry-leading reliability of over 90% once fully phased in," the joint statement said, before the launch.
Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk said by June 2025, all vessels are expected to operate according to the new schedule.
"Launching the new network is a great opportunity for all of us. With our targeted schedule reliability, we will satisfy one of our customer's most important needs even better and set a new quality standard in the industry," said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.
"Together with our operating partner Maersk, we are focused on delivering on our 90% schedule reliability promise."
The Gemini network will also set new industry standards in terms of sustainability and advance the companies' ongoing decarbonization efforts.
Habben Jansen added, "Thanks to our effective hub & spoke operating system, we can deploy larger vessels and thus simultaneously optimize speed, reduce idling times, and thereby cutting down on carbon emissions. All of this saves our customers a lot of time and resources."
Gemini Cooperation will cover 57 services and 29 mainliners, offering 3.7 million TEU capacity and over 340 vessels. It will also provide 28 inter-regional shuttles (Europe: 13; Asia: 10; Middle East: 4; Americas: 1).
Meanwhile, as announced in October 2024, the new shipping alliance noted that the Gemini network will re-route via the Cape of Good Hope.
"The partners will continue to closely monitor and analyze the latest developments and their impact on the security situation in the Red Sea and only return to the Red Sea once it is safe to do so," the announcement said.
Earlier, Maersk already announced that its new shipping alliance would push through with using the Cape of Good Hope on its February launch despite the recent improvement in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which triggered Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
"Regarding the Gemini Cooperation and our East-West network, this will be phasing in via the Cape of Good Hope as planned on February 1, 2025, and we encourage you to continue planning your supply chain around this set-up," Maersk said, also emphasising that the carriers will return to the Red Sea once it's "deemed safe to do so."
