The Suez Canal Authority is intensifying its efforts to encourage large container ships to resume transit through the strategic waterway, following the improvement in the security of the Red Sea. Chairman of the Board of Directors, Admiral Osama Rabie, personally visited the ships to review the canal’s readiness for large-scale operations.
Read also: Trump proposes free passage for American ships through the Panama and Suez Canals
Admiral Rabie recently inspected the CMA CGM Jules VerneThe ship, which is 396 meters long and has a capacity of 176,000 tons, marks the first transit of the Suez Canal northward after passing through the Bab el-Mandab Strait. The voyage represents a major milestone in the canal’s recovery from the Houthi maritime crisis that began in November 2023.
During the visit, Admiral Rabie met with the crew and discussed their experience in the Red Sea, alongside Tarek Zaghloul, Group CEO of CMA CGM Egypt and Sudan, and Operations Director Amr El Shafei. Also note the CMA CGM HeliumA 335-meter-long ship with a capacity of 130,000 tons makes its first transit through the canal.
Admiral Rabie said that restoring stability in the Red Sea requires shipping lines to reconsider navigation schedules and return to crossing through Bab al-Mandab and the Suez Canal.
Earlier this month, the SCA announced plans to hold meetings with major carriers to encourage trial flights, partial returns or a full multi-stage return strategy. Admiral Rabie praised CMA CGM’s efforts to maintain canal operations amid security challenges, citing the successful transit of two huge containers after the Sharm El-Sheikh summit.
Captain Slavko Malasic, master Jules VerneHe highlighted the canal development projects, especially the expansion of the southern sector, which improved navigational safety and reduced waiting and transit times.
Encouraging recovery data supports these efforts. October 2025 saw the highest monthly return of ships since the crisis, with 229 ships sailing in the canal. From July to October, 4,405 ships with a total tonnage of 185 million tons transited the waterway.
This rise comes in the wake of the Houthis announcing the suspension of naval operations in the Red Sea, despite experts warning of continuing risks. Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted in October 2023, the Houthis have targeted more than 100 commercial ships, sinking four, seizing one, and killing at least eight sailors, resulting in a 60% drop in traffic as ships were rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope.
Challenges remain, particularly rising marine insurance costs, which continue to slow the return of some carriers. CMA CGM is leading the comeback, with CEO Tarek Zaghloul emphasizing the irreplaceable strategic value of the canal: “There is no alternative to the Suez Canal.”
Looking to the future, the Suez Canal Authority plans to attract more ship types beyond container ships. Industry representatives have called for incentives for oil tankers, bulk carriers and liquefied natural gas vessels, which face fewer scheduling hurdles. Admiral Rabie called on all shipping lines to undertake test voyages, indicating confidence in the security of the Red Sea.
