On 18 June, the Suez Canal marked a significant milestone with the successful southbound transit of the CMA CGM OSIRIS, a 154,000-ton French container ship.
The vessel, traveling from Singapore to the Port of Alexandria, is the first large container ship to pass through the Canal from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait since operations were suspended in March 2024 due to heightened regional tensions. In response to attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi forces in the Red Sea, beginning in November 2023, CMA CGM had rerouted most of its network via the Cape of Good Hope as a precautionary measure.
Recent months have seen a decline in such attacks following a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Yemen. Despite this development, security intelligence continues to warn that vessels linked to Israel remain at risk.
The OSIRIS, which measures 366 meters in length and has a capacity of 15,536 TEUs, also became the first vessel to benefit from a new 15% discount for ships exceeding 130,000 tons. This temporary incentive is part of the Suez Canal Authority’s effort to encourage the return of large container traffic to the vital waterway.
Admiral Rabiee of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) attributed the successful transit to months of strategic marketing and negotiations, underscoring the importance of flexible pricing and close coordination with international shipping lines amid global economic and geopolitical challenges. He confirmed an agreement with CMA CGM to resume regular transits of several large vessels and expressed confidence that other major lines would follow suit.
CMA CGM has emerged as the leading shipping line through the Canal in 2025 in terms of vessel count and tonnage. In addition to the OSIRIS, two more of its vessels, the CMA CGM AQUILA and CMA CGM CALLISTO, transited the Canal on 17 June, continuing the company’s medium-tonnage service.
The return of such mega vessels signals renewed confidence in the Canal’s security and efficiency, marking a key step in restoring normal traffic in this critical global trade route.
