For the first time in two years, one of the world’s largest container ships, the “CMA CGM Jacques Saade”, passed through the Suez Canal.
According to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), the passage of the LNG-powered megacarrier marks the full return of the French shipping group CMA CGM to the waterway.
The 400 m long and 62 m wide vessel led the southbound convoy on its journey from Morocco to Malaysia. With a capacity of 23,000 TEU, it is the largest container ship to have sailed the canal in two years.
At the same time, the Suez Canal recently registered the passage of the “Maersk Sebarok” in the northbound convoy. The 318 m long boxcarrier came from the Omani port of Salalah, passed the Bab-el-Mandab Strait and headed for the United States. This was the first transit of a Maersk container ship since the conclusion of a strategic partnership agreement between the shipping company and the canal authority. The ship has a width of 40 m, a draught of 14 m and a gross tonnage of around 82,000 tons.
The Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, Admiral Ossama Rabiee, spoke of a turning point: “The start of the return of major shipping companies is the culmination of the intensive marketing efforts of the Suez Canal Authority in recent times.” These activities have led to CMA CGM announcing its return at full capacity, while Maersk is initiating a gradual resumption of passages.
Rabiee also emphasized the market-wide significance of the developments. The return of the major shipping companies will have a noticeable positive effect on the sea transport market. At the same time, he called on other liner shipping companies to adjust their schedules and resume services from the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandab Strait via the Suez Canal. (JWy)
