Admiral Ossama Rabiee, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), announced the beginning of a new phase in the restoration of mega container ship traffic through the Suez Canal. On Wednesday, the Canal saw the transit of the container ship CMA CGM OSIRIS with a gross tonnage of 154,000 tons. The vessel was part of the southbound convoy, coming from Singapore and heading to the Port of Alexandria via the Canal's new navigation channel.
This ship, operated by the French shipping line CMA CGM, is the first large container vessel to transit the Canal from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait since March 2024. The temporary halt in such transits had been caused by regional challenges. The passage of CMA CGM OSIRIS marks a culmination of recent marketing efforts by the SCA, following the launch of a three-month discount—announced in Circular No. 3/2025—offering 15% off for container ships with net tonnage exceeding 130,000 tons, whether laden or in ballast.
© Suez Canal Authority
The vessel measures 366 meters in length, 51 meters in width, with a draft of 49 feet, and can carry up to 15,536 TEUs. It is the first large container ship to benefit from the new discount policy and transit from Bab al-Mandeb through the Suez Canal's updated route.
Chairman Rabiee emphasized the Suez Canal's ongoing efforts to engage effectively with clients and to implement measures that encourage the return of major shipping lines. These include adopting flexible pricing policies to respond to global market shifts and reinforcing the Canal's role as a preferred route for large vessels, despite current regional and economic pressures.
He noted that recent discussions with CMA CGM's management have led to an agreement for several of the group's large vessels to resume their transits through the Canal. He expressed optimism that other shipping lines would follow suit in the near future.
Admiral Rabiee also highlighted that CMA CGM currently leads all shipping lines in the number of vessels and tonnage transiting the Canal during the first half of 2025, reflecting the strength of the strategic relationship between the SCA and the French group.
Additionally, the Canal saw the transit of two other CMA CGM vessels on Tuesday: CMA CGM AQUILA and CMA CGM CALLISTO, each with a tonnage of 128,000 tons, as part of the company's ongoing service for medium-sized container ships.
For more information:
Suez Canal Authority
Tel: +2 (0) 64 3396222 / 3396333 / 3397222
Email: info@suezcanal.gov.eg
www.suezcanal.gov.eg