CMA CGM has reaffirmed plans to increase vessel transits through the Suez Canal, as the French shipping group continues to expand its use of the route.
Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Admiral Ossama Rabiee discussed the group’s future sailing plans with Christine Cabau, CMA CGM Executive Vice President for Assets and Operations.
Tariq Zaghloul, CMA CGM Egypt and Sudan Cluster CEO, also participated in the meeting.
CMA CGM increases Suez Canal traffic
According to the SCA, 199 CMA CGM vessels have transited the Suez Canal since the beginning of 2026.
Those vessels represented a combined net tonnage of 25.2 million tons.
For comparison, 212 CMA CGM vessels used the canal during the whole of 2025, representing 18.8 million tons of net tonnage.
Rabiee highlighted the increase as the two sides reviewed CMA CGM’s sailing schedules through the canal for the coming period.
He also described the relationship between the SCA and CMA CGM as a strategic partnership.
CMA CGM commits to further return
Cabau said CMA CGM intends to accelerate the return of its vessels to the Suez Canal.
The carrier plans to expand shipping services using the waterway and increase the number of vessels operating through it across its network.
“We reaffirm the Group’s commitment to increasing transit shipping services through the canal and expanding the number of vessels operating across its various services,” said Cabau.
The company aims to maintain the Suez Canal as a primary corridor within its global shipping network.
The discussions come as CMA CGM vessels increasingly return to the canal following a prolonged period of disruption to shipping routes in the region.
Cabau also highlighted CMA CGM’s use of alternative-fuel technology. A growing number of vessels in the group’s fleet are capable of operating on liquefied natural gas (LNG).