MSC Tests Suez Route as Container Lines Return
Container shipping is slowly returning to the Suez Canal as major carriers reassess the security risks in the Red Sea. The Maritime Executive reports that MSC is the latest major carrier to test the route.
According to shipping consultancy Linerlytica, MSC has sent seven eastbound vessels through the Suez Canal and Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the past two weeks. MSC has not officially announced a wider return, so the moves appear to be part of a cautious test of the route.
Other major carriers are also increasing their use of the corridor. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have moved more services back to Suez, while Maersk has already returned about 30% of the volumes previously routed around the Cape of Good Hope.
CMA CGM is also increasing its Suez Canal activity. The carrier has continued to use the route while other major lines were still avoiding the Red Sea.
The return is important because the Suez route is much shorter than sailing around Africa. A wider return could reduce sailing time and operating costs for carriers and their customers.
However, the security risks in the Red Sea have not disappeared. For now, carriers are returning step by step and are closely watching conditions before making larger changes to their networks.
