The current number of military conflicts has reached its highest level since the end of the Cold War. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas, in particular, have posed immense challenges for the maritime economy as well as the logistics sector. The same can be said of the new “America first” policy in the United States.

Within this context, two of the largest shipping companies, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, started their “Gemini Cooperation” in February (see p. 12). The key data is below, alongside statistics which show that many ships still take a detour around the Cape of Good Hope and the African continent instead of passing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.