Giant container carrier 'CMA CGM SAINT GERMAIN' transits Suez Canal for the first time

CAIRO – 3 July 2026: Admiral Ossama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, said maritime traffic in the canal recorded, this Friday, the passage of the giant container carrier CMA CGM SAINT GERMAIN - one of the largest container carriers in the world- marking its very first transit through the canal. The ship crossed the Suez Canal in the northbound convoy during its journey from Morocco to Malaysia.

The vessel belongs to the French shipping company CMA CGM. It measures 399.9 meters in length and 61.3 meters in width, with a draft of 16 meters and a total tonnage of 238,000 tons, and can carry up to 23,876 TEUs.

The ship is equipped with an engine running on liquefied natural gas (LNG), powered by a fuel tank with a capacity of 18,600 m³, allowing it to complete long-distance crossings between Europe and Asia. It is deployed on the NEU5/FAL3 maritime service, operated by the Ocean Alliance, which serves the commercial route connecting the Far East to northwest Europe.

The Chairman of the Authority gave instructions for the implementation of all necessary measures and arrangements to ensure safe transit, including mobilizing a team of experienced Authority pilots and making escort tugs available to assist the navigation.

In accordance with the protocol applied by the Suez Canal Authority for vessels making their first transit through the canal, the Chairman instructed Captain Ahmed Nosir and Captain Samir Gaafar, Chief Pilots, to board the vessel to welcome its crew and present a commemorative gift to its commander.

For his part, Admiral Ossama Rabie stressed that the successive passage of giant container ships through the Suez Canal constitutes a positive indicator of the gradual return of major shipping companies. He added that the canal's waterway is fully ready to accommodate the world's largest and most modern ships, reaffirming that the Suez Canal continues to play a strategic role in serving global maritime trade and supply chain resilience.

The Chairman said the Authority will continue implementing its plans to improve navigation services to meet customers' needs, through a set of new value-added services not previously available, including maritime rescue, ship maintenance and repair, and marine ambulance services, in addition to refueling and crew change. He added that these initiatives help strengthen the competitiveness of the Suez Canal and consolidate its position as a major global trade artery.