The French shipping group CMA CGM is taking a measured step toward reintroducing ultra-large containerships (ULCs) to the Red Sea corridor. According to Lloyd’s List, the 17,859 TEU CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin is preparing to transit the Suez Canal, potentially becoming the first alliance-operated Asia–Europe vessel to re-enter the region after nearly two years of disruption.
This voyage stands as a symbolic test for the gradual reactivation of the Asia–Europe trade lane via the Red Sea, which saw traffic collapse following a wave of Houthi attacks on merchant shipping.
A Calculated Move Amid Uncertainty
Vessel-tracking data show the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin currently approaching Egypt’s Port of Alexandria after departing Southampton on October 25. Its listed destination is Port Klang, Malaysia, positioning it to become the largest ship to use the Suez Canal since early 2024.
The vessel operates on the NEU4 service under the Ocean Alliance, which includes CMA CGM, Cosco Shipping, and Evergreen. Like most large Asia–North Europe boxships, it previously rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope on its westbound leg — a safer but longer detour.
Industry analysts interpret this latest movement as a test voyage through a still-fragile corridor. CMA CGM, which continues to maintain limited sailings under French naval escort, has yet to confirm whether this signifies a wider redeployment of its Asia–Europe fleet.
Signs of Gradual Recovery
Lloyd’s List Intelligence data indicates that containership traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has risen slightly in 2025 compared with the previous year, yet volumes remain well below pre-crisis levels. For large boxships exceeding 14,000 TEU, the recovery has been even slower. Only 13 transits by six vessels between 15,000 and 16,000 TEU have been recorded this year, all operated by CMA CGM on Asia–Mediterranean routes.
The Suez Canal, meanwhile, has not seen a ULC exceeding 17,000 TEU since January 2023. Despite this, CMA CGM remains among the few carriers consistently operating in the region, averaging 16 transits per month under the protection of French naval escorts against potential drone threats.
Regional Context and Fragile Stability
The move comes after a ceasefire was brokered in October 2025, rekindling hopes for stability in the wider region and optimism about restoring key maritime routes. However, renewed hostilities have underscored how tentative that peace remains, discouraging most Western operators from redeploying their fleets in the near term.
A Vessel with Historic Significance
Delivered by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding in 2015, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin was the first ultra-large containership ever to call at US ports, marking a milestone for trans-Pacific trade. It was later reassigned to Asia–Europe services in 2016, where it continues to operate today.
CMA CGM’s latest voyage through the Suez Canal may not mark a full-scale return of ULCs to the Red Sea, but it stands as a measured test of operational feasibility — a signal of cautious optimism in an evolving maritime landscape.
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Source: Lloyd’s List
