French shipping giant CMA CGM is set to fully restore its INDAMEX service through the Suez Canal and Red Sea, becoming the first major global carrier to formally reinstate an east–west route disrupted by Houthi attacks last year.
The company has confirmed that INDAMEX — connecting India, Pakistan, and the U.S. East Coast — will resume full Suez transits on both westbound and eastbound legs. The first vessel to complete the reinstated loop will be CMA CGM VERDI, departing Karachi for New York on 15 January 2026.
Shipping database eeSea indicates that the reinstated routing will cut transit time by two weeks, reducing the full loop to 77 days compared with the longer detour around the Cape of Good Hope. The weekly service deploys 11 vessels ranging between 6,000 and 10,000 TEU, and the shorter rotation will allow CMA CGM to remove two ships from the loop.
Trial Transits and Wider Industry Caution
Xeneta Chief Analyst Peter Sand noted that while the move is a positive sign, it does not indicate an immediate large-scale industry return to the Red Sea. CMA CGM had already been conducting limited eastbound Suez transits in recent months, mainly on lower-load backhaul voyages to Asia.
Before the new rotation becomes fully operational, four INDAMEX vessels — APL OREGON, APL LE HAVRE, CMA CGM PASSION, and CMA CGM MAUPASSANT — are scheduled to make eastbound Suez transits. Other CMA CGM ships, such as APL CHANGI, CMA CGM JULES VERNE, CMA CGM GALAPAGOS, APL MERLION, CMA CGM GRACE BAY, and CMA CGM KIMBERLEY, have also recently crossed Suez, though only some are part of official service schedules.
CMA CGM had earlier maintained limited Red Sea operations using naval escorts under EUNAVFOR Operation Aspides, though convoy delays continued to pose challenges.
Traffic Still Far Below Pre-Crisis Levels
Xeneta data shows only 120 containerships transited the Suez Canal in November 2025, compared with 583 in October 2023, before the surge in attacks. Sand said carriers continue to gauge the Houthis’ “ability, opportunity and intent” to target ships. While capability is clear, carriers are waiting for stronger confidence around intent before committing fully to the route.
Security concerns persist. On 5 December, a bulker reportedly fired warning shots at unidentified skiffs near the Bab al-Mandeb, though early reports suggest the skiffs had no known Houthi links.
Other Carriers Remain Hesitant
Rival carriers Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have indicated they foresee only a slow, gradual return once security improves. ZIM has told investors it cannot resume Red Sea operations until insurers offer coverage at viable premiums.
Market Impact: Risk of Oversupply
The restored loop adds capacity at a time when the container market is already struggling with significant oversupply. Spot rates on key Far East–U.S. East Coast and Far East–North Europe routes are down 57% and 53% year-on-year, according to Xeneta.
Sand warned that if other carriers follow CMA CGM’s lead and reclaim Suez routes, capacity could “flood the market,” driving freight rates down further and increasing financial strain on carriers.
