The Suez Canal is back in the spotlight now that the ‘Clementine Maersk’ has become the first Maersk vessel to sail through the canal since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East.
The container ship, with a capacity of 8,648 teu, passed through the Suez Canal in a northerly direction on Saturday. The ‘Clementine Maersk’ departed from Salalah in Oman on 4 June and is heading for the US East Coast, where it will call at Newark, Charleston, Savannah and Houston, among others.
Since late 2023, the Suez Canal has been avoided by many container shipping lines due to attacks by Houthi rebels on vessels in the Red Sea. Major container services diverted to the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.
Maersk had already been working on a gradual return. After several vessels had sailed through the Suez Canal on an occasional basis, the MECL service was routed via the Suez route again earlier this year. Following renewed tensions around Iran, that route was temporarily abandoned again.
According to shipping analyst Lars Jensen, a broader return to the Suez Canal could have major consequences for the container market. The route via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal is shorter than the diversion via South Africa, allowing the same fleet to make more voyages.
More capacity could eventually put pressure on the high container rates from which shipping lines are currently benefiting. The question is therefore how quickly other shipping lines will follow Maersk’s example.
Further information on international container flows can be found on the pages about sea freight and container handling.
The return of the ‘Clementine Maersk’ follows signs that tensions between the United States and Iran may be easing. Progress also appears to be taking place around the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Even so, the logistics chain has not recovered immediately. Ships, containers and cargo are not yet in the right locations everywhere. Bottlenecks are therefore expected in the Persian Gulf for months to come.
...around 12 per cent of world trade normally passes through the Suez Canal? This makes the canal one of the most important maritime connections in the world.
Stay informed about container congestion, terminal capacity and developments in inland shipping and ocean freight. Sign up now: