The Suez Canal has successfully restored several shipping services operating on the trade route between Europe and Asia.

Reports from the canal navigation service show a significant increase in the daily transit rate of container ships belonging to the Maersk shipping line.

Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority  (SCA), announced that the canal had seen the BANGKOK MAERSK container ship (IMO 9984584, MMSI 219718000 - sailing under the flag of Denmark. ) pass through on Saturday. This was the ship's maiden voyage through the canal, as part of a northbound convoy en route from Italy to Singapore.

 The vessel currently operates on Maersk's AE7 service,

The 350-metre-long, 56-metre-wide vessel belongs to the Maersk shipping line and has a gross tonnage of 190,000 tonnes. It has a capacity of up to 17,200 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and is equipped with a dual-fuel engine that runs on green methanol, which reduces harmful carbon emissions. The vessel currently operates on Maersk's AE7 service, providing direct connections between major Asian ports and those in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

 The Suez Canal Authority's protocol

In accordance with the Suez Canal Authority's protocol for vessels transiting the canal for the first time, the Authority's Chairman, Admiral Osama Rabie, delegated Senior Pilot Captain Hesham Helmy and Chief Pilot Captain Galal Shabaka to board the vessel, welcome its crew and present the ship's captain with a commemorative gift.

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 The canal's strategic importance

Admiral Rabie emphasised that the Suez Canal has successfully resumed numerous shipping services operating on the trade route between Europe and Asia. This reflects the canal's strategic importance as a key hub connecting East and West. The Chairman of the SCA  explained that shipping reports show a significant increase in the daily transit rate of Maersk container ships. The northbound convoy was led today by the 200,000-tonne container ship Mathilde Maersk, followed by the Bangkok Maersk. This brings the total number of Maersk vessels transiting the canal today to two, both of which are part of the northbound convoy

.The Suez Canal Authority's endeavours in expanding the canal's waterway

Conversely, Captain Pata Radu confirmed that opting to transit the Suez Canal rather than circumnavigating Africa saves around 14 days of travel time. This results in time and cost savings for the ship's customers. The captain lauded the Suez Canal Authority's endeavours in expanding the canal's waterway, acknowledging the triumph of the New Suez Canal project in enhancing the canal's efficiency and the recent enhancements made to the southern sector's development, which have boosted navigational safety for colossal vessels. The ship's captain also praised the vital role of the canal pilots, as well as the cooperation and efficiency he had seen in ensuring the ship's safe passage.

It is worth noting that, today (Saturday), the canal saw 57 vessels transit with a total net tonnage of 2.8 million tonnes. George Safwat, Official Spokesperson for the Suez Canal Authority, stated 

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