Shipping Eyes Cautious Return to Suez After Months Away

The global shipping industry remains cautious about fully resuming transit through the Suez Canal, but several vessels have begun venturing back into the region after months of avoidance due to Houthi attacks on merchant ships in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

French carrier CMA CGM has sent two 17,859 TEU sister vessels — the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin and the CMA CGM Zheng He — from Europe to Asia via the Suez Canal on the Ocean Alliance’s NEU4 service. This marks the first alliance service to re-enter the Red Sea since late 2023.

In addition, ship trackers are monitoring the sanctioned Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz, which is currently traveling westward through the Gulf of Aden. If it proceeds through the Suez, it would become the first LNG vessel to make the transit in eight months.

Earlier this week, another sanctioned Russian ship — the 21-year-old aframax tanker Komander — briefly made headlines after suffering engine trouble and running aground near the 48-kilometre mark of the canal before being refloated.

The recent tentative ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has prompted speculation that more shipping lines may begin returning to Red Sea routes. The Houthis have claimed over 100 attacks on commercial vessels since late 2023, citing their campaign as an act of solidarity with Palestinians.

Shipowners and insurers are closely watching whether the militant group will scale back activity in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Previous pauses in attacks have coincided with temporary Gaza ceasefires. So far this month, no new Houthi strikes have been reported, although Israel has resumed military operations in Gaza.