27/11/2025
GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS REUNITE / MARITIME GIANTS MAERSK AND CMA CGM READY TO RETURN TO THE SUEZ CANAL
Cairo: AfricUpdate - News Desk
Ismailia: Silta – Analytical Report by Ashraf Gaber
The return of the Danish shipping giant Maersk to the Suez Canal cannot be considered just a passing economic news headline, but a pivotal moment that is redrawing the map of global shipping after two years of turmoil in the Red Sea. This significance was embodied in the joint press conference held Tuesday by Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, and Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk Group, where they announced a strategic partnership paving the way for the company’s fleet to gradually resume transit through the vital Egyptian maritime route starting early December.
In his address, Admiral Osama Rabie provided a clear perspective on the implications of this return, affirming that the resumption of Maersk’s container ships transit represents “a return in the right direction towards the optimal path for sustaining global supply chains,” underscoring that the Suez Canal is the shortest, fastest, and safest passage between the East and West. He clarified that the agreement goes beyond overseeing vessel transit to open horizons for collaboration across maritime and logistics sectors, including container terminals, marine services, and expanding supply chain-related activities.
Upcoming Insurance Meeting and Early Signs of Canal Recovery:
In an exclusive to Silta Magazine, Admiral Rabie affirmed that the circle will be completed with his upcoming December meeting with major insurance companies, whose stance and clarity are pivotal. These insurers are expected to respond favorably to the current full security status in the Red Sea, with no pending threats to navigation.
The figures revealed by Rabie clearly reflect the early signs of tangible recovery in canal performance. In October, 1,136 ships transited with a total net tonnage of 47.1 million tons, generating revenues of $372.9 million, an improvement over the lower tonnages and revenues of the same period the previous year. By November, the number of vessels rose to 1,156 with 48.5 million tons of cargo, while revenues jumped to $383.4 million, marking nearly 27% growth compared to November 2024. According to Rabie, these indicators set the stage for an expected annual revenue of approximately $4.1 billion in 2025, betting on further improvement in 2026 with the return of additional shipping lines.
On the other side, Vincent Clerc emphasized that the relationship between Maersk and the Suez Canal extends beyond that of a client and a shipping lane; it is a long-standing partnership embodied also through joint investments in the container terminal at East Port Said. Clerc stressed that the canal remains “a decisive pillar for the group’s shipping operations,” and that the security calm in the Red Sea was a crucial factor in deciding to return, relying on peace agreements and settlements that have de-escalated regional tensions.
Diplomatic Momentum and Dual Return Mark New Era for Suez CanalNotably, the Maersk CEO linked this step to the diplomatic momentum in Sharm El-Sheikh, pointing out that the momentum following the peace summit, coupled with Egyptian efforts to de-escalate and restore stability, restored significant confidence among global companies to resume transit through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. He described the strategic partnership signing as a critical milestone towards full channel navigation resumption, anticipating other shipping lines to follow Maersk soon.
Admiral Rabie’s report was not limited to Maersk alone; he also announced a major development involving the French shipping giant CMA CGM deciding to fully return to transit the canal and Bab El-Mandeb from December. This dual return of two of the world’s largest shipping lines effectively marks the canal’s partial restoration of the shipping capacity lost during the Red Sea crisis peak, when many companies had to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, incurring additional time and costs.
In the backdrop, the Red Sea crisis remains a core explanatory factor for the current developments. The attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels since late 2023 severely impacted the Suez Canal and Egypt’s economy, causing sharp declines in ship numbers and foreign currency revenues. This reality compelled the authority to adopt a broad set of measures including fleet modernization, service updates, and flexible pricing policies featuring incentives of up to 15% for heavily laden container vessels to close cost gaps compared to longer alternative routes.
Strategic Collaboration and Risk Mitigation Drive Suez Canal’s Recovery Phase:
A pivotal aspect of the authority’s future vision centers on insurance companies’ roles. Rabie alluded to upcoming meetings with leading marine insurers to reassess risks amid improved security conditions and to work on reducing insurance costs for vessels transiting the Red Sea and Suez Canal. This move aims to overcome one of the major obstacles to the return of major companies, as previous tensions sharply increased premiums and influenced navigation and routing decisions.
Parallelly, the Suez Canal Authority bets on expanding the partnership framework with Maersk to encompass critical files such as advanced logistics services, development of container terminals, deeper integration with the Suez Canal Economic Zone, alongside cooperation on green fuel projects and reduction of the maritime transport carbon footprint. This direction reflects the understanding that competition between shipping lanes no longer hinges solely on voyage length and transit fees, but on each lane’s ability to provide a comprehensive package of services, infrastructure, and added value.
Ultimately, the recent press conference can be read as a declaration of a new phase rather than a mere trade agreement signing. The return of Maersk and CMA CGM to the Suez Canal amid signs of traffic and revenue recovery, coupled with forthcoming insurance meetings, are all chapters in a single narrative titled: reclaiming the canal’s natural position as a vital artery of global trade. Beneath Rabie and Clerc’s messages, mutual confidence and shared interests stand as the defining theme of a phase expected to witness the canal restoring much of what it lost during two years of the Red Sea tempest.