In a significant maritime event reflecting renewed confidence in the world's most important waterway, Lieutenant General Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, announced the successful transit of the giant container ship "CMA CGM SEINE" through the canal. This vessel, one of the largest container ships in the world, completed its transit safely during its maiden voyage as part of the northbound convoy, en route from Morocco to Malaysia.
standard specifications and advanced technology,
according to official data from the authority, the giant vessel belongs to the global French shipping line CMA CGM and operates on the vital "Fal3" service connecting trade between Europe and Asia (the Far East). The vessel, which was recently delivered in 2025, boasts impressive engineering specifications: it is 399 meters long, 61.3 meters wide, and has a draft of 40 feet. Its gross tonnage is 250,000 tons, with a capacity of 23,876 containers, making it a valuable addition to the global maritime transport fleet.
Exceptional measures were taken for safe passage
due to the ship's size and the significance of the event. Lieutenant General Osama Rabie directed the implementation of a series of precautionary measures to ensure a safe transit. These measures included assigning a select group of the Authority's senior pilots to guide the vessel, providing escort tugboats to assist in maneuvering operations, and close, real-time monitoring from the main traffic office and pilot stations along the canal. In accordance with the protocol followed for vessels transiting the canal for the first time, the Chairman of the Authority delegated Captain Abdel Rahman Fouad Shaheen and Captain Saeed Imam to board the ship, welcome its crew, and present its captain with the Authority's commemorative shield.
The strategic and economic importance of this event
lies in the fact that this transit is of particular significance, transcending its status as a mere routine navigational procedure. It represents a powerful message of reassurance to the international maritime transport community. The Suez Canal is the lifeblood of global trade, handling a significant portion of seaborne commerce and providing the shortest route between East and West compared to the more time-consuming and costly Cape of Good Hope route. The return of major shipping lines like CMA CGM to deploy their newest vessels through the canal underscores the effectiveness of the Suez Canal Authority's flexible pricing policies and reinforces Egypt's position as a global logistics hub.
Calling for the Restoration of Supply Chain Stability,
Lieutenant General Rabie affirmed that this transit reflects confidence in the canal's readiness and sustainability as the preferred choice for shipping lines. He indicated that these serious steps will have tangible positive effects on the maritime transport market, urging other shipping lines to reconsider their sailing schedules and resume their voyages through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb to the Suez Canal. It is worth noting that the French group CMA CGM recorded a significant increase in the transit rates of its large vessels, with 15 ships exceeding 130,000 tons transiting the canal since last December, out of a total of 38 ships that have transited since May. This reflects the success of the Suez Canal Authority's strategy in attracting clients despite regional challenges.
