gCaptain reports that the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) is stepping up efforts to restore high-capacity shipping traffic through the canal, following noticeably improved security in the Red Sea. Chairman Admiral Ossama Rabiee has personally visited large containerships to underscore the canal’s readiness for major operations.
On a recent northbound transit, Admiral Rabiee boarded the CMA CGM Jules Verne, a 396-meter vessel with 176,000 gross tons, marking a symbolic return after earlier disruptions via Bab el-Mandab. He also observed the maiden Suez transit of CMA CGM Helium, a 335-meter, 130,000 GT ship.
Admiral Rabiee has called for shipping lines to re-evaluate their navigation plans and “return to transiting through Bab el-Mandab and the Suez Canal once more,” citing a “new reality” brought by restored calm. In alignment with this, the SCA has proposed a multi-phased “experimental voyage” strategy, inviting major carriers to conduct partial or full trial transits.
During his ship visits, Rabiee met with crew and operations leadership, discussing their Red Sea passage experiences. The master of the Jules Verne praised recent canal investments—especially in the southern sector—for enhancing navigation safety and cutting waiting times.
Traffic data reflect the SCA’s optimism: in October 2025, 229 vessels returned to the canal, the highest monthly count since the Red Sea crisis began. Between July and October, 4,405 vessels transited through Suez, collectively carrying 185 million tons of cargo.
The SCA attributes this upturn to a recent Houthi announcement of suspended maritime operations in the Red Sea—though security analysts warn the risk has been suppressed, not eliminated.
Still, challenges remain: elevated marine insurance rates continue to deter some large shipping lines from fully resuming Suez transits. The Authority is now also reaching out beyond the container sector, encouraging bulk carriers, oil tankers, and LNG vessels to re-engage via trial voyages.
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Source: gCaptain
