Suez Canal Authority announces resurgence of giant ship transits after 15-month halt

Egypt Independent

19-06-2025

Suez Canal Authority Chairman, Lieutenant General Osama Rabie, has announced the start of a new phase in the waterway's return to hosting mega container ships.
This was marked by the passage of the container vessel CMA CGM OSIRISon Wednesday. The ship, with a total capacity of 154,000 tons, sailed as part of the southbound convoy from Singapore, heading to Alexandria Port via the Canal's new navigation channel.
This vessel, part of the French shipping line CMA CGM, marks a significant return as the first large container ship to transit the Canal from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait since March 2024. Its passage follows a temporary halt in such traffic due to regional challenges.
The ship's transit is a direct result of the Suez Canal Authority's (SCA) marketing efforts, highlighted by a recent announcement offering a 15% discount for container ships with a net tonnage exceeding 130,000 tons, whether laden or empty. This incentive, outlined in Circular No. (3/2025), will be valid for three months.
Measuring 366 meters in length, 51 meters in width, and with a draft of up to 49 feet, the vessel can carry up to 15,536 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). This makes it the first large container ship to sail from Bab el-Mandeb and directly benefit from the new discount, which aims to encourage mega-vessels to resume transiting the Canal.
Suez Canal Authority Chairman, Lieutenant General Osama Rabie, underscored the Canal's ongoing commitment to effective engagement with clients. He emphasized that the Authority is taking every measure to encourage major shipping lines to resume using the Canal, particularly through the implementation of flexible pricing policies.
These policies are designed to respond positively to global market changes and reinforce the Canal's standing as the premier maritime option for mega-vessels, despite current regional and economic challenges.
He further noted that recent discussions with the management of the French shipping line CMA CGM have resulted in an agreement for several of the group's large vessels to once again transit the Canal.