ONE returns to Red Sea with the launch of new service | Container news

The container liner giant Ocean Network Express (ONE) plans a return to the Red Sea with the launch of the new RCS (Red-Sea China Service).

The Singapore-headquartered shipping company said Tuesday (Dec. 16) in a customer advisory that the new service has been introduced to meet the demand between China and Red-Sea ports.

On January 15, the vessel SSF Dream will make the debut of the service at the port of Shanghai.

The published rotation is Shanghai – Qingdao – Nansha – Shekou – Jeddah – Sokhna – Aqaba – Jeddah – Shanghai – Qingdao.

The voyage is scheduled to commence with the SSF Dream 2603W, which is expected to arrive at the port of Shanghai on January 15, 2026.

“This new service has been introduced to meet the demand between China and Red-Sea ports, allowing us to better serve our customers with optimized network coverage and reliable shipping solutions,” ONE said in a release.

Although more consideration has been given among the container shipping companies to make a Red Sea comeback, the insurers behind the possible returns are going to be a major factor behind each carrier’s decision.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) chairman and managing director Ossama Rabiee told a press conference last month that the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit promotes stability in the region and paves the way for the return of navigation to its normal levels. He stressed that the statistics of navigation in the channel witnessed many positive indicators during the months of October and November, amid expectations that the next period will see more improvement and recovery.

The head of the SCA revealed that the next period will see many companies conducting “intensive discussions” with the aim to modify their sailing schedules and the time for their return of their ships to the Red Sea.

The rerouting of ships away from the Suez Canal has significantly increased transit times, fuel costs, and insurance premiums, straining global supply chains and causing congestion at alternative routes.

The long-term normalization of Suez traffic remains tightly linked to geopolitics and maritime risk assessment, with analysts predicting a gradual recovery at best.

Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta – the ocean freight intelligence platform – said: “Carriers will be carrying out risk assessments, and the security situation remains fragile. The assessment will look at the Houthi’s ability, opportunity and intent to attack ships. We know they have the ability, but carriers will want assurance over their intent, especially because the opportunity will increase as more ships begin sailing through the region.”