Egypt's Suez Canal on Wednesday welcomed the CMA CGM OSIRIS, the first mega container ship to transit the waterway from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait since March 2024, as the key shipping route begins to recover from months of regional disruption. The French-flagged vessel, operated by CMA CGM, was part of the southbound convoy, carrying 154,000 tons of cargo on its journey from Singapore to Alexandria. The ship navigated the Canal's new channel, Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Osama Rabie said in a statement. "This marks a new phase in restoring the passage of mega container ships through the Canal," Rabie said. He added that talks with CMA CGM resulted in an agreement for more large vessels to resume transits. The 366-metre-long OSIRIS, which can carry up to 15,536 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), is the first large vessel to benefit from a recently introduced 15 per cent discount on Canal dues for container ships exceeding 130,000 tonnes, under Circular No. 3/2025. The SCA suspended some transits of large vessels earlier this year amid regional security concerns. Rabie said the Authority continues to work with clients and offer flexible pricing to encourage the return of major shipping lines. CMA CGM ranked as the top operator by vessel numbers and cargo tonnage through the Canal in the first half of 2025. Two other CMA CGM vessels — CMA CGM AQUILA and CMA CGM CALLISTO — also passed through the Suez Canal earlier on Tuesday, Rabie said. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Y.Yasser
