Among the mega container ships returning to the Suez Canal after the new incentives
Suez Canal witnesses the transit of CMA CGM JULES VERNE among vessels of the nourthern convoy at a tonnage of 180 thousand tons
CMA CGM ADONIS, the 164-thousand-ton container ship, also transits amongst the southern convoy
Adm. Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority, has announced today that the Suez Canal continues to receive mega container ships affiliated to the French shipping line CMA CGM; as it has witnessed today the transit of CMA CGM JULES VERNE among vessels of the northern convoy, and CMA CGM ADONIS among vessels of the southern convoy that transit through the New Suez Canal.
CMA CGM JULES VERNE, sailing under the flag of Malta, was the first vessel in the nourthern convoy on its voyage from Malta to Port of Jeddah. The ship is 396 m. in length, has a beam of 53.6 m., a draft of 11.5 m. and a gross tonnage of 180 thousand tons.
Meanwhile, CMA CGM ADONIS, that has transited the Canal as the first vessel among the southern convoy, is on its way from Singapore to Alexanderia. The ship's length is 366 m., its beam is 51 m., its draft is 53 ft. and its gross tonnage amounts to 164 thousand tons.
This comes after the SCA's issuance of discounts incentivizing mega container ships to return to transiting through the Suez Canal where Circular No. (3/2025) grants a 15% discount on the transit tolls for vessels of a net tonnage exceeding 130 thousand tons, whether laden or in ballast, for a period of three months.
Adm. Rabiee emphasized that geopolitical challenges and the successive changes in regional developments impose an urgent need to deal flexibly with surrounding market variables and make effective strategic decisions supported by flexible pricing policies that contribute to encouraging major shipping lines to return to transit through the Canal.
The Chairman of the Authority pointed out that mega container ships are of relative importance within the fleet's vessel types due to their savings in operating costs, support of stability of global supply chains, and enhancing environmental sustainability. H. E. also emphasized that the return of mega container ships to transit through the Suez Canal is inevitable, given the Canal's numerous competitive advantages, making it the shortest, fastest, safest, and most sustainable navigational route.
In another context, the Authority's maritime salvage tugboats dealt successfully and professionally with navigational emergencies and technical failures experienced by the diving vessel RED ZED 1 during its transit through the Canal as part of the northern convoy. The vessel experienced a technical failure in its steering at kilometer 45, Canal marking, before El-Qantara ferryboat, requiring the intervention of three Authority tugboats to secure it. The repairs were completed by its crew, and the vessel proceeded to El-Ballah area without affecting navigation traffic.