Security Threat Forces THE Alliance to Suspend Asia – Red Sea Service

The AR1 service, operated by a shipping alliance including Ocean Network Express, Hapag-Lloyd, Yang Ming, and HMM, connects ports in Northeast and Southeast Asia with ports in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. However, due to recent security developments in the Red Sea, the service has been temporarily suspended for safety reasons. This decision was made to prioritize the safety of crew, vessels, and cargo. The suspension has led to the diversion of the service from Port Klang, adding a lengthy transit through the Suez Canal.

The majority of container shipping services transiting the Red Sea have diverted to the longer route via the Cape of Good Hope due to ongoing security threats from Houthi rebels. As a result, alternative routes to serve the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden ports are being developed. This situation has impacted the AR1 service, with three of the remaining four sailings transiting via the Cape of Good Hope. The alliance is closely monitoring the situation and will resume the AR1 service when it is deemed safe.

The decision to suspend the AR1 service was made as a precautionary measure due to security concerns in the region. The alliance is working on alternative routes to serve the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden ports and will announce these shortly. The ongoing security threat in the Red Sea has led to the majority of container shipping services diverting to the longer route via the Cape of Good Hope, impacting the routing of the AR1 service.

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