MSC Officially Announces Return to the Red Sea: 5 Major Vessels Rerouted to Suez Canal with Total Capacity Exceeding 90,000 TEU
Publish Time: 2026-08-26 Origin: Site
MSC Resumes Select Red Sea Routes: Over 90,000 TEU Capacity Rerouted to Suez Canal
Following a comprehensive assessment of security and operational stability in the Red Sea, MSC has announced a partial return to the Suez Canal for select East-West trade corridors.
The initial phase covers five key sailings across Asia–Mediterranean, Asia–North Europe, and India–Mediterranean routes:
Asia–Med (Jade Service, Eastbound): MSC MICHEL CAPPELLINI (~24,000 TEU), Voyage GJ632E, left Abu Kir on Aug 24.
Asia–North Europe (Albatros Service, Eastbound): MSC JOSEFINA (~16,000 TEU), Voyage GA630E, left Jeddah on Aug 24.
India–Med (Himalaya Service, Westbound): MSC BERYL (~12,000 TEU), Voyage IS632A, scheduled to depart Vizhinjam on Aug 31.
Asia–Med (Tiger Service, Westbound): MSC ANNA (~19,000 TEU), Voyage GT629W, left Singapore on Aug 24.
Asia–Med (Tiger Service, Eastbound): MSC TINA (~19,000 TEU), Voyage GT632E, left Mersin on Aug 20.
Booking options and updated vessel schedules are being rolled out gradually. However, MSC emphasized that safety remains the top priority—if conditions deteriorate, vessels may be re-routed around the Cape of Good Hope on short notice.
Market intelligence firm Linerlytica noted that MSC had already tested these waters in late July, sending at least 7 container vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Suez Canal with their AIS systems turned off.
Industry-wide shifts are accelerating. Maersk has already redirected over 30% of its Asia-Europe volumes back to Suez, while carriers like Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM are scaling up transit frequencies. Suez transits hit 1,088 sailings between July 20 and August 16—the highest monthly count since early 2024—though overall volume is still down 41% compared to pre-crisis levels.
As major carriers adjust their routes, freight forwarders and logistics providers are actively optimizing their network solutions. For instance, STU provides reliable Asia-to-Europe sea freight services to help shippers adapt smoothly to changing maritime conditions. Analysts expect that if stability holds, the return to the Suez Canal will ease vessel supply tightness and port bottlenecks driven by the longer Cape bypasses.