OOCL Portugal successfully transited the Suez Canal, marking COSCO Shipping's first southbound passage since rising Red Sea tensions.
On 16 September, the Suez Canal Authority announced that the ultra-large container vessel OOCL Portugal had successfully transited the Suez Canal for the first time, sailing from Belgium to China. Suez Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie described the passage as 'significant,' noting that it marks the first southbound transit by a COSCO Shipping vessel through the Suez Canal since the escalation of tensions in the Red Sea.
With a maximum capacity of 24,188 TEU, the OOCL Portugal ranks among the largest container vessels in the world and operates on the Ocean Alliance NEU2 Far East-Northwest Europe service. The Suez Canal Authority confirmed that it has successfully encouraged multiple major liner carriers to resume Suez Canal transits, including CMA CGM, Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and COSCO Shipping Lines.
Traffic data reinforces the scale of the recovery: from January to August 2026, the net tonnage of container vessels transiting the Suez Canal reached 72.1 million tonnes - a 54.2% increase compared with 46.7 million tonnes recorded during the same period in 2025. On 16 September alone, 39 vessels transited the canal, contributing approximately 2.3 million tonnes of net tonnage.
Industry analysts note that carriers are currently prioritizing the restoration of Asia-bound return voyages from Europe, seeking to reposition vessels to Asian ports as swiftly as possible and address capacity gaps caused by port congestion and schedule delays across the region. Shippers and freight forwarders are advised to monitor vessel schedules closely and to advance customs clearance planning and cargo transport arrangements to safeguard delivery timelines.
