CMA CGM Osiris Becomes First Large Ship To Transit Suez Canal After Long Halt

After months of disrupted operations, the Suez Canal has officially reopened to mega container vessels with the successful transit of the 15,536 TEU CMA CGM Osiris.

On June 18, the vessel made its way northbound from Singapore to the Port of Alexandria, passing through the Canal’s new navigation channel.

This marks the first time since March 2024 that a large container ship has crossed the Canal from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, following regional security threats that had forced global carriers to avoid the route.

The transit is also the first to take advantage of the Suez Canal Authority’s (SCA) newly announced 15% rebate for container ships exceeding 130,000 net tonnes, whether laden or empty. This limited-time discount was introduced under Circular No. (3/2025) as part of a three-month incentive to bring back ultra-large ships.

The CMA CGM Osiris is operated by the French shipping giant CMA CGM and has a gross tonnage of 154,000 tonnes. It is 366 meters long, 51 meters wide, with a draft of 49 feet and has a carrying capacity of 15,536 TEUs.

The successful passage is seen as a milestone in restoring confidence among major carriers.

According to statements issued by the Suez Canal Authority, the transit signifies the start of a new phase in attracting mega vessels back to the waterway. Officials from SCA stated that the move comes after extensive marketing efforts and direct talks with global shipping lines, particularly CMA CGM.

The Suez Canal had seen a sharp decline in large vessel traffic since late 2023, when attacks by Houthis in the Red Sea forced many shipping lines to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope.

According to Alphaliner, only 647 container ships passed through the Canal between January and April this year, which is far below the monthly average of over 550 before the crisis.

More than 70% of these transits were made by Sub-Panamax vessels under 4,000 TEUs, compared to their normal share of just 10–15%. No ultra-large container ships have used the Canal in over a year.

To address this situation, the SCA introduced flexible pricing policies and strengthened communication with clients to stay competitive. Officials said the recent agreement with CMA CGM will bring several of its large ships back to the route in the coming months.

The authority also confirmed that CMA CGM currently leads all shipping lines in terms of vessel numbers and tonnage passing through the Suez Canal during the first half of 2025.

Additionally, two medium-sized CMA CGM vessels, Aquila and Callisto, each with a tonnage of 128,000 tonnes, transited the Canal on Tuesday, continuing the line’s regular service.

Reference: Suez Canal

Source: Maritime Shipping News