Container carriers are hesitant to resume Suez Canal transits despite trial voyages, with analysts warning of ongoing challenges ahead.
Container carriers remain cautious about resuming Suez Canal transits despite recent trial voyages, reported London's Lloyd's List.
Maersk's 6,248-TEU boxship Maersk Denver completed its second Red Sea passage this week, following the 6,648-TEU Maersk Sebarok's December voyage. French liner CMA CGM also made several transits, including the 23,000-TEU CMA CGM Jacques Saade in December 2025.
Analysts at Xeneta stated that there is still a long way to go before traffic returns to pre-crisis levels. Elevated insurance costs, volatile charter markets, and the operational impact of detours around Africa continue to delay a wider reversion to the canal.
Experts warned that a sudden mass return could disrupt cargo planning and cause congestion if many ships arrive at ports simultaneously. MDS Transmodal noted that Cape of Good Hope diversions absorb six to eight percent of global containership capacity, amounting to about two million TEU.
Industry concerns also center on overcapacity. Operators expanded fleets to meet demand, but new tonnage risks oversupply once carriers return to shorter routes. Transit volumes remain far below those seen before the Red Sea crisis.
Lloyd's List analysts indicated that the problem is not only too many ships but also too many of the wrong type. Large newbuilds are difficult to integrate into regional trades, as many ports lack the infrastructure to handle them. This mismatch between fleet growth and available routes is expected to persist.
