Monday, 25 May 2026
Suez canal ready for mega container ships, welcomes CMA CGM giants
Adm. Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), confirmed the canal’s full readiness to handle ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) during an onboard inspection of the CMA CGM JULES VERNE (396m long, 176,000 tons) transiting southbound from Singapore to Lebanon via the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb.
This marks the ship’s first southbound passage through Bab el-Mandeb and its third Suez transit in 2025 (previous: June 20 & Sept 20 northbound). A second CMA CGM vessel, the CMA CGM HELIUM (335m, 130,000 tons), made its maiden Suez voyage today, heading to Alexandria.
Rabie welcomed the crew, praising CMA CGM’s confidence in the canal despite Red Sea challenges. He highlighted strategic ties and the group’s return with two mega-ships post-Sharm El-Sheikh summit as proof of the canal’s safety, speed, and efficiency.
Safety measures:
- Senior pilots assigned
- Escort tugs deployed
- Real-time monitoring from control centers
Rabie predicted calm restoration in the Red Sea will drive shipping lines to resume Suez routings, announcing intensified talks with major carriers for phased return via test voyages or full reinstatement.
Captain Slavko Malasic (Jules Verne) lauded seamless Red Sea transit and southern sector upgrades, reducing wait times and boosting safety.
Today’s traffic: 38 vessels, 1.7 million net tons.