Denmark's Maersk said on Sunday that it is preparing to resume shipping operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing the deployment of a U.S.-led military operation designed to ensure trade security in the region.

The shipping giant paused sending vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb strait earlier in December due to attacks against its ships. That rendered the Suez Canal, which is key to global commerce, unusable for most routes.

The United States said on Tuesday it was launching a multinational operation to protect commerce in the Red Sea from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have been firing drones and missiles at international vessels since last month in response to Israel's attacks on Gaza.

"As of Sunday 24 December 2023, we have received confirmation that the previously announced multi-national security initiative Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) has now been set up and deployed to allow maritime commerce to pass through the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden and once again return to using the Suez Canal as a gateway between Asia and Europe," Masersk said in a statement on Sunday.

"With the OPG initiative in operation, we are preparing to allow for vessels to resume transit through the Red Sea both eastbound and westbound."

Maersk said it would release more details in the coming days. But it said it could again resort to diverting ship traffic depending on how safety conditions evolved.

On Tuesday, Maersk said it was rerouting ships around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. It said it would impose container surcharges for shipments from Asia to cover the extra costs associated with the longer journey.

Several other firms, including oil giant BP, have suspended transiting the Red Sea in recent weeks due to safety concerns.