Suez Canal Revival: Mega Container Ships Return, Strengthening Global Shipping Routes
The Suez Canal has reinforced its role as a pivotal artery in global maritime trade following the successful transit of two ultralarge container ships: CMA CGM JULES VERNE and CMA CGM HELIUM.
- CMA CGM JULES VERNE, measuring 396 m in length with a gross tonnage of approximately 176,000 tons, passed through on a southbound voyage from Singapore to Lebanon after safely navigating the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb.
- CMA CGM HELIUM, making its first Suez Canal crossing, traveled from Singapore to Alexandria; the vessel is 335 m long, with a gross tonnage of around 130,000 tons.
Under the leadership of Adm. Osama Rabie, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) confirmed its full technical and navigational readiness, deploying senior pilots, tugboats, and continuous traffic supervision to ensure safe passage for these giant vessels.
This development signals a return of high-capacity container traffic to the Suez Canal a major boon for Ocean Shipping and its clients. With the canal regaining the trust of major carriers and offering robust navigation infrastructure, shippers now have renewed access to a fast, reliable, and costefficient EastWest transit route.
Ocean Shipping views these passages as a turning point, underscoring the canal’s restored relevance in global logistics and reinforcing its competitive standing in facilitating largescale container flows.
