CMA CGM SEINE, one of world’s largest container vessels, successfully transits Suez Canal

CAIRO- 29 January 2026: Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), announced the successful transit of the giant container ship CMA CGM SEINE, one of the world’s largest container vessels, through the Suez Canal on its maiden voyage. The ship transited as part of the northbound convoy, sailing from Morocco to Malaysia.

The vessel belongs to the French shipping line CMA CGM and operates on the FAL3 service, which serves the trade route between Europe and the Far East. It is the newest addition to the company’s fleet, having been delivered in 2025. The ship is 399 meters long, 61.3 meters wide, and has a draft of 40 feet. It has a gross tonnage of 250,000 tons and a carrying capacity of up to 23,876 containers.

Admiral Rabie directed that all necessary measures and procedures be implemented to ensure the ship’s safe transit. These included assigning a team of senior pilots, providing navigational support through accompanying tugboats, and maintaining continuous monitoring from the main traffic control center and pilot stations along the canal.

In line with the Suez Canal Authority’s protocol for vessels transiting the canal for the first time, the Chairman delegated Captain Abdel Rahman Fouad Shaheen and Captain Saeed Imam, both senior pilots, to board the vessel, welcome its crew, and present a commemorative gift to the ship’s captain.

Admiral Rabie emphasized that the return of the world’s largest and most advanced container ships to the Suez Canal reflects strong confidence in the canal’s readiness and reinforces its status as the most efficient and sustainable route for global trade between East and West.

He noted that these developments are expected to have a positive impact on the maritime transport market, encouraging additional shipping lines to revise their schedules and resume transits through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait via the Suez Canal.

The Chairman also highlighted the Authority’s ongoing efforts to enhance maritime and navigational services, introduce new offerings tailored to customer needs, and ensure the highest standards of safety for mega-vessels and ships with special dimensions.

Admiral Rabie added that the French CMA CGM Group has recorded an increase in the number of its container ships with a net tonnage exceeding 130,000 tons transiting the canal. Since last December, 15 such vessels have crossed, out of a total of 38 CMA CGM ships that have transited the canal since last May, benefiting from the flexible pricing policies adopted by the Authority.