Container ship BANGKOK MAERSK transited the Suez Canal on Saturday on its maiden voyage through the waterway on August 22, 2026- press photo
CAIRO – 22 August 2026: Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), announced that the container ship BANGKOK MAERSK transited the Suez Canal on Saturday on its maiden voyage through the waterway. The vessel was part of the northbound convoy, sailing from Italy to Singapore.
Owned and operated by Maersk, the vessel is 350 meters long and 56 meters wide, with a gross tonnage of approximately 190,000 tons and a capacity of up to 17,200 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). It is equipped with a dual-fuel engine capable of operating on green methanol, helping reduce harmful carbon emissions.
The vessel currently operates on Maersk’s AE7 service, which directly connects major ports in Asia with ports in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
In accordance with SCA protocol for vessels making their first transit of the canal, Lieutenant General Rabie delegated Captain Hesham Helmy, Senior Pilot, and Captain Galal Shabaka, Chief Pilot, to board the vessel, welcome its crew, and present a commemorative gift to the ship’s captain.
Rabie said the Suez Canal has successfully restored numerous shipping services operating along the Europe-Asia trade route, underscoring the waterway’s strategic importance as a vital link between East and West.
He added that canal navigation reports indicate a significant increase in the daily number of Maersk container ships transiting the canal. The northbound convoy on Saturday was led by Mathilde Maersk, with a tonnage of approximately 200,000 tons, followed by BANGKOK MAERSK. Two Maersk vessels transited the canal that day, both as part of the northbound convoy.
Captain Pata Radu, master of BANGKOK MAERSK, said choosing the Suez Canal over the route around the Cape of Good Hope saves approximately 14 days of sailing time, resulting in significant time and cost savings for the vessel’s clients.
Captain Radu praised the Suez Canal Authority’s efforts to develop and maintain the waterway, highlighting the success of the New Suez Canal project in improving the canal’s efficiency and the recent development works in the southern sector, which have enhanced navigational safety for large vessels.
He also expressed appreciation for the canal pilots and praised their professionalism, cooperation, and efficiency in facilitating the vessel’s safe passage.
According to the Suez Canal Authority, 57 vessels transited the canal on Saturday, carrying a combined net tonnage of approximately 2.8 million tons.