A.P. Moller-Maersk will begin sending container vessels through the Suez Canal again in early December under a preparatory phase that sets the stage for a full return, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) announced on Tuesday. The decision follows weeks of talks that concluded with a new strategic partnership agreement aimed at deepening long-standing cooperation between the world's second-largest container carrier and the canal authority. SCA Chairman Osama Rabie said the move marks "a significant step" toward restoring Maersk's east–west routes through the canal, calling it the shortest and safest global shipping corridor. He said the agreement opens the door to broader maritime and logistics collaboration. Maersk made 1,158 passages through the canal in 2023, carrying 127 million tons of cargo and generating $733 million in revenue for Egypt, Rabie said. Rabie also pointed to improved security conditions in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait following the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit for Peace, which he said has helped stabilise regional maritime traffic. Suez Canal data show traffic continuing to recover. The waterway handled 1,136 vessels in October, with cargo volumes rising to 47.1 million tons from 40.4 million tons. Revenues climbed to $372.9 million from $322.1 million. In November, transits increased to 1,156 ships compared with 1,000 a year earlier, carrying 48.5 million tons versus 38.3 million tons, generating $383.4 million in revenue. The SCA said it is continuing intensive discussions with global carriers to coordinate return timelines through the Red Sea route. Advanced talks with CMA CGM have resulted in the French line agreeing to fully resume Suez transits in December. Since the onset of the Red Sea crisis, the authority said it has expanded its fleet, broadened services offered to shipping lines and adopted flexible pricing measures, including a 15 per cent discount for container ships over 130,000 tonnes. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Y.Yasser
