AP Moller-Maersk’s chief executive said it could take weeks for a US-led naval operation to make the Red Sea safe again for its ships after the Danish liner giant decided to reroute its vessels around the Cape of Good Hope.

Vincent Clerc told CNBC that the announcement by US defence secretary Lloyd Austin, creating a multinational naval operation, was reassuring and that he welcomed the operation, but he said the company can no longer guarantee the safety of its crew.