Operated by French shipping group CMA CGM, the vessel crossed the canal as part of the southbound convoy on a voyage from France to Malaysia, SCA Chairman Osama Rabie said.
The transit marks the resumption of southbound voyages on the FAL 3 route, one of the OCEAN Alliance's main services linking the Far East with Northern Europe. The service had not used the canal in the southbound direction since January.
Rabie said the authority provided navigational assistance for the vessel, assigning senior pilots and accompanying tugboats to facilitate the crossing.
The CMA CGM VENDOME is one of the world's largest container ships, measuring 399.9 metres in length and 61.3 metres in width, with a total tonnage of 244,000 tonnes. The vessel can carry up to 24,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and is equipped with an 18,600-cubic-metre liquefied natural gas fuel tank for long-haul operations between Asia and Europe.
The return of the service comes as shipping companies continue to reassess routes amid ongoing regional tensions, most recently due to the US-Israeli war on Iran, which disrupted global trade patterns and prompted many vessels to divert around the Cape of Good Hope.
Rabie said 104 CMA CGM vessels transited the Suez Canal between January and May 2026, carrying a combined cargo volume of around 12.5 million tonnes.
He said the authority had expanded its maritime and navigational services in recent years to accommodate larger vessels and maintain safety standards.
Captain Daniel Martin said route selection is based on efficiency and operating costs, adding that the Suez Canal remains preferable to the longer route around southern Africa.
According to Martin, using the canal shortens voyage times and reduces fuel consumption, while vessels sailing around the Cape of Good Hope often face adverse weather conditions that can slow journeys and increase costs.
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