Container ship CMA CGM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN passing through the Suez canal. Photo courtesy of SCA.
The French-operated vessel’s voyage, from the UK to Malaysia then through the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, is seen by Egyptian authorities as a sign of renewed stability after months of shipping disruptions in Red Sea navigation
Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Ossama Rabie confirmed the ship, which measures 399 metres long and 54 metres wide and can carry 17,859 containers, is the largest container vessel to pass through the canal since October 2023.
Chairman Rabie said the passage reflects growing confidence among international carriers and a “gradual return to normal traffic levels” through the waterway, which handles around 12 percent of global trade.
“The safe transit of the CMA CGM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN through Bab el-Mandeb after transiting through the Suez Canal sends a reassuring message to all shipping lines that stability has been restored to the region,” Rabie said.
He added that the transit will prompt a review of shipping schedules and the initiation of trial voyages for other large container vessels through the canal.
Since last May, the SCA has introduced incentives and flexible marketing policies to encourage traffic, restoring 28 voyages of medium-sized container ships (130,000–160,000 tonnes) on the Europe-to-Asia route, including 19 by French shipping giant CMA CGM and nine by Swedish-Italian shipping conglomerate MSC.
The authority also noted that CMA CGM has rerouted its CMA CGM ZHENG HE (up to 180,000 net tonnes) to use the Suez Canal instead of the Cape of Good Hope, adding two major voyages to its existing canal routes.
The return of giant vessels comes after a period of economic losses, with Suez Canal revenues dropping more than 60 percent in 2024, amounting to nearly $7 billion.
Recent months, however, have seen a rebound, aided by improved Red Sea security and diplomatic efforts, including Egypt’s hosting of the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace.
Between July and October 2025, 4,405 vessels transited the canal, up from 4,332 during the same period last year, the SCA announced on Thursday. October alone saw 229 ships pass through, the highest monthly figure since the Red Sea crisis began.
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