Maersk to resume Suez Canal transits in December under new deal with Egypt's SCA
Updated 11/26/2025 8:09:00 AM
Arab Finance: The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) and A.P. Moller-Maersk Group signed a partnership agreement for the return of Maersk-affiliated container vessels through the Suez Canal in early December, according to a press release.
The signing of this strategic partnership agreement was witnessed by Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the SCA, and Vincent Clerc, CEO of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group.
Rabiee highlighted that the return of Maersk-affiliated vessels marks a huge step in moving towards the optimal route for the sustainability of global supply chains as the shortest, fastest, and most secure waterway linking the East and the West.
He noted that agreement opens horizons of cooperation in various maritime and logistical fields, contributing to backing traffic through the Suez Canal, which recorded 1,158 ships in 2023 with a total net tonnage of 127 million tons and generated $733 million in revenues.
The chairman noted that the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit helped restore stability in the region and traffic at the canal to recover, with 1,136 vessels transiting the Suez Canal with a total net tonnage of 47.1 million tons in October 2025, generating $372.9 million.
In October 2024, nearly 1,136 vessels transited the canal with a total net tonnage of 40.4 million tons, generating $322.1 million.
Additionally, Rabiee highlighted the expected Suez Canal's traffic statistics for November 2025, which witnessed a continued recovery with the transit of 1,156 vessels, handling a total net tonnage of 48.5 million tons with total revenues of $383.4 million. This is compared to 1,000 vessels, carrying a total net tonnage of 38.3 million tons and generating a total revenue of $300.6 million last November.
On his part, Clerc expressed his appreciation for the authority’s policies in addressing various challenges, affirming that the Suez Canal is the most suitable and efficient waterway for global trade between East and West.
However, the group’s CEO noted that the security challenges witnessed in the Red Sea region over the past two years have led to increased shipping costs and freight rates, affecting all countries worldwide.
In October, the Suez Canal traffic recorded the return of 229 vessels, marking the highest monthly rate of returning vessels since the beginning of the Red Sea crisis.
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