Egypt Daily News – Lieutenant General Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, announced the beginning of a new phase in the gradual return of mega container ships to the canal. On Wednesday, the canal saw the passage of the container ship CMA CGM OSIRIS, with a total load 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 el-Mandeb Strait since March 2024. The temporary halt in such transits was due to regional challenges. The ship’s passage marks a milestone in the canal’s recovery efforts and follows recent marketing initiatives, including a 15% discount announced in circular (3/2025) for container ships with a net tonnage over 130,000 tons, whether loaded or empty. The discount is valid for three months.
CMA CGM OSIRIS measures 366 meters in length, 51 meters in width, and has a draft of 49 feet. It can carry up to 15,536 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), making it the first large container ship to pass from Bab el-Mandeb and actually benefit from the newly introduced discount designed to encourage the return of mega vessels to the canal.
Chairman Rabie confirmed that the Suez Canal continues to make strong efforts to communicate with clients and implement all necessary measures to encourage the return of major shipping lines. This includes adopting flexible pricing policies that respond effectively to global market dynamics, reinforcing the canal’s position as the best maritime route for large vessels despite ongoing regional and economic challenges.
He added that recent discussions with CMA CGM’s management resulted in an agreement for several of the group’s large vessels to return to using the canal. He expressed hope that similar steps would be taken by other shipping lines in the near future.
Rabie also pointed out that CMA CGM currently leads all other shipping lines in terms of the number of ships and total tonnage passing through the canal during the first half of 2025, reflecting the strength of the strategic relationship between the Authority and the French group.
It’s worth noting that on Tuesday, the Suez Canal also saw the passage of two other CMA CGM vessels—CMA CGM AQUILA and CMA CGM CALLISTO—each with a load of 128,000 tons, as part of the company’s ongoing service with mid-size container ships.
