CMA CGM Resuming Full Loop Service on Suez Canal
CMA CGM has become the first major carrier to recommit an east west loop to the Suez Canal and Red Sea corridor since scheduled liners traffic was granted access back into it earlier this year. This marks an important step toward its full opening once more for regular liner traffic. The company announced today that its INDAMEX service linking India's subcontinent with US East Coast will once more follow an original route via Suez on both fronthaul and backhaul legs, in contrast to taking an alternative path around Cape of Good Hope following attacks on merchant shipping in Red Sea. Industry reports have cited data from Xeneta which shows that this routing change would reduce total round voyage time to about 77 days, approximately two weeks faster than its Cape diversion counterpart, thus improving schedule efficiency and decreasing bunker consumption on this key trade lane.
Market analysts acknowledge the symbolic significance of CMA CGM s move, yet do not see it as representing an inexorable return of container shipping via Suez corridor. According to Xeneta, only 120 container ships transited the canal in November 2025 compared with 583 before Houthi attacks intensified, underscoring its limited extent and underlining how far recovery has progressed so far. Security risk assessments by carriers remain focused on Houthi ability and intent to target commercial vessels, as well as residual threats posed by other armed actors in Bab el Mandeb strait following an incident on December 5, in which a bulker fired warning shots at approaching skiffs near Bab el Mandeb strait. Industry observers anticipate incremental service restoration as operators gain trust in ceasefire agreements as well as new naval protection measures along the Red Sea corridor.
Maersk and CMA CGM signed agreements with Suez Canal Authority last November.
Suez Canal Authority has taken measures to speed the recovery by securing long-term commitments from leading liners operators. On 25 November 2025, the Authority signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with AP Moller Maersk whereby Maersk-affiliated vessels would begin returning to the canal as early as December as part of an eventual full capacity return. CMA CGM announced in its statement that advanced negotiations had resulted in their carrier agreeing to resume transits through the Suez Canal and Bab el Mandeb in December, which supports their subsequent decision to re route their INDAMEX loop via Suez. Admiral Osama Rabiee, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority cited these agreements as proof that it remains one of the shortest, fastest, and safest waterways for containerised trade between East and West.
Independent market intelligence indicates a slower operational ramp up than indicated by official statements. Linerlytica reported that neither Maersk nor its Gemini Cooperation partner Hapag Lloyd has planned a significant shift of mainline services back to Suez in the near term, instead maintaining their Cape of Good Hope network which was established following Red Sea disruptions. Maersk has reiterated its lack of an exact date or timeline for reinstatement of an east west network via Suez, noting the paramount importance of crew and cargo safety as well as improvements to regional security conditions before altering Gemini schedule. Analysts expect a temporary capacity shock as more services return to Suez, with vessels arriving seven-10 days earlier at North European hubs than under Cape routings, potentially leading to port congestion and short term freight rate volatility around December to January pre Lunar New Year demand surges.
Green Dock 3 completes complex Suez transit system
As container trade continues to expand, the Suez Canal Authority has implemented special operations designed to demonstrate both technical capabilities and navigational safety of its canal. On Sunday 7 December 2025, the Authority reported the successful southbound transit of GREEN DOCK 3 through Indonesia's canal to Turkey as part of a carefully coordinated 24 hour operation. The canal administration reiterated the value of using the New Suez Canal alignment as its straighter track and minimal curvature remain ideal for out of gauge convoys that require precise control of under keel clearance, bank effects and tug assistance. Admiral Rabiee noted that ongoing development projects, including the Southern Sector Development Project which involved widening sections of waterway by about 40 metres, had significantly increased safety margins for large and nonstandard units, contributing to its role as part of global offshore, shipbuilding and heavy lift logistics chains.
The Authority recently publicised other high-profile special moves as part of an overall effort to restore shipper confidence following an extended Red Sea security crisis. Egyptian officials have noted that such operations showcase not only the canal's physical capacity, but also its planning, pilotage and traffic management abilities - essential when handling convoys that temporarily limit passing opportunities or require special tug-and-escort arrangements. By showing complex towed structures and project cargoes successfully traversing the canal, the Authority aims to reassure owners from sectors like offshore wind power generation, ship repair and naval support that Suez remains an efficient route for transporting oversize assets from Asian yards to Mediterranean or Black Sea bases.
Suez Canal's revenue outlook and international recognition remain high on its list of priorities.
Recent traffic and revenue indicators point towards an incremental but tangible recovery in Suez Canal performance. Admiral Rabiee recently reported that navigation statistics for October and November 2025 demonstrate continued improvements, with November transits reaching 1,156 vessels with total net tonnage of 48.5 million tons, producing revenues of 383.4 million US dollars - an increase over 100 vessels that generated 300.6 million dollars in November 2024. Assuming container services resume via Suez and there is no further escalation of conflict along the Red Sea corridor, total canal revenues could increase to an estimated total of approximately 4.2 billion dollars by 2025; an increase from their projected 3.9 billion figure during 2024. Although still below pre crisis potentials, these projections show signs of improvement as more operators reevaluate cost and time penalties associated with Cape diversion measures.
International institutions continue to emphasize the strategic significance of waterways. At its recent visit, an International Monetary Fund delegation highlighted the Suez Canal as an integral element of global supply chains and key source of foreign currency earnings for Egypt; they noted that its successful restoration to normal transit volumes would play an integral role in enhancing both external accounts and regional trade resilience. Egyptian authorities have tied the recovery of their canal with wider diplomatic efforts, including an international peace summit in Sharm el Sheikh designed to stabilise Red Sea and Bab el Mandeb regions and lower risks associated with commercial shipping. Suez Canal maritime stakeholders see signs that Suez is gradually returning to its traditional role of providing east/west container and project cargo flows while upgrading infrastructure through initiatives such as the Southern Sector Development Project, all while keeping in place contingency plans around Cape of Good Hope.