Taiwanese container shipping line Yang Ming Marine Transport has announced plans to resume its MD1 and MS2 container shipping services between Asia and the Mediterranean via the Red Sea and Suez Canal, in a move aimed at reducing transit times and improving supply chain efficiency.
Under the revised schedules, the MD1 service is expected to depart Ningbo, China, on November 10, 2026, with arrival at Egypt’s Damietta Port scheduled for December 7.
Meanwhile, the MS2 service is scheduled to depart Qingdao, China, on November 16, with arrival at Greece’s Port of Piraeus on December 28 via the Suez Canal.
Yang Ming said that the actual sailing schedules and transit times will remain subject to operational conditions and further updates.
The move reflects a gradual return of container shipping services to the Red Sea–Suez Canal corridor following widespread diversions around the Cape of Good Hope due to security concerns in the region.
According to maritime consultancy data cited by Al Mal, approximately 63% of the capacity deployed by the world’s 10 largest container shipping lines on Far East–Europe services had returned to routes incorporating the Red Sea and Suez Canal by mid-October 2026.
The restoration of services through the Suez Canal could significantly reduce sailing distances, transit times and operational costs compared with the longer Cape of Good Hope route.
Yang Ming’s decision signals growing confidence among container shipping operators in the gradual reopening of the Suez Canal corridor, although the pace of recovery will continue to depend on security developments and operational conditions in the Red Sea.