Global shipping major CMA CGM has decided to reroute vessels on three of its services away from the Suez Canal, citing ongoing global uncertainties, the company said on Tuesday. The move signals a cautious approach just as hopes had risen for a broader return to the key Asia–Europe trade corridor after nearly two years of disruption.
The Marseille-based shipping group will divert vessels operating on its French Asia Line 1 (FAL 1), French Asia Line 3 (FAL 3) and Mediterranean Club Express (MEX) services via the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa. In a customer advisory posted on its website, CMA CGM referred to the “complex and uncertain international context” but did not provide further details.
Shipping lines have been reassessing the use of the Suez Canal since late 2023, when attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels prompted widespread rerouting around southern Africa. The Houthis said the attacks were linked to the war in Gaza and support for Palestinians, significantly disrupting global supply chains.
A ceasefire in Gaza and a subsequent lull in attacks had recently raised expectations of a gradual normalisation of traffic through the canal. CMA CGM had conducted limited transits under naval escort and last month sent two large container ships through the Suez Canal. The company had also been preparing to resume regular transits from January on an India–US service.
However, renewed geopolitical tensions appear to have dampened those plans. Since December, unrest in Iran and warnings from US President Donald Trump about possible US intervention have revived concerns over regional instability, although Trump has recently said that violence seems to be subsiding.
CMA CGM’s decision contrasts with that of rival Maersk, the world’s second-largest container shipping line, which said last week that one of its services would resume transit through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal from this month.
CMA CGM is the world’s third-largest container carrier, and its latest move underscores the continued caution among shipping lines as they navigate an uncertain security and geopolitical environment affecting one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes.
