The Suez Canal Authority has reported a rise in vessel transits as shipping in the Red Sea begins to return to normal. In October, the canal recorded its highest number of transiting vessels since the Middle East crisis began in late 2023.
Between July and October, total cargo tonnage rose by 10 percent compared with last year. More than 4,400 ships passed through the canal during this period, including 229 vessels in October.
At a recent meeting with representatives from 20 major shipping companies, Chairman Admiral Ossama Rabiee urged operators to resume using the canal and to conduct trial voyages.
According to the Canal Authority, CMA CGM has already sent two of its 17,000-TEU ships through the Suez Canal under escort and plans to increase the group’s voyages. Hapag-Lloyd and MSC said they expect a broader return soon. Evergreen and COSCO also plan to resume normal operations once the situation stabilizes completely.
However, high insurance costs continue to slow the recovery. Industry experts warn that marine insurers still view the region as high-risk, keeping many ships away.
