Suez Canal traffic rebounds as geopolitical calm boosts maritime confidence

Egypt’s Suez Canal recorded a 14.2 percent year-on-year revenue increase between July and October, driven by easing tensions in the Red Sea and renewed vessel movement following the Gaza ceasefire.

Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie confirmed that 229 ships transited in October, the highest monthly tally since the onset of the regional crisis, with 4,405 vessels carrying 185 million metric tons passing through the Canal in the four-month period.

Rabie highlighted a “relative improvement” in traffic and tonnage, crediting the positive diplomatic climate after the Sharm el-Sheikh summit for encouraging carriers to resume crossings.

Global operators have begun restoring routes through the waterway, with CMA CGM already deploying two major container vessels, and other leading lines such as MSC, Evergreen and Cosco evaluating expansion plans as stability improves. The authority has invited shipping firms to conduct trial voyages, reinforcing Egypt’s strategic push to rebuild maritime confidence after months of disruption. The Suez Canal remains a critical foreign-currency lifeline for Egypt and the fastest link between Europe and Asia, making the renewed flow of commercial traffic a significant boost to national economic resilience.