The return of the major container shipping companies to transiting the Suez Canal will be complete only when Evergreen joins them.

Premier Alliance vessels—which include the Japanese carrier One, the South Korean carrier HMM, and the Taiwanese carrier Yang Ming—will also soon return to transiting the waterway. Linerlytica revealed this information, highlighting that, as part of the alliance's new FE1 service schedule between Asia and Northern Europe, the 8,100 TEU containership One Continuity (IMO 9388352, MMSI 563289700 -sailing under the flag of Singapore. ) is expected to arrive at the entrance to the canal on 9 November, having departed Laem Chabang on 19 October and arriving in Rotterdam 10 days later. Other vessels, including the Nyk Venus  (IMO 9312793, MMSI 372512000 -sailing under the flag of Panama. ) (9,000 TEU), the One Hamburg  (IMO 9395159, MMSI 372724000 -sailing under the flag of Panama. )(8,200 TEU) and the Nyk Orion  (IMO 9312999, MMSI 352822000 -sailing under the flag of Panama. )(9,000 TEU), will follow suit in November and December.

The return to Suez will begin in an eastbound direction, 

For the Premier Alliance, of particular significance is the fact that the return to Suez will begin in an eastbound direction, following a direct route to Northern Europe. This is notable given that, until now, carriers have preferred to allow ships engaged in backhaul routes (originating in the Mediterranean) to resume transiting the canal.

 As part of the AEU1/LL1.

Furthermore, Cosco, which has resumed westbound voyages across the Red Sea in recent weeks, with nine voyages having been completed to date, will return to eastbound transit through Suez. This will commence on 4 October with a 24,000 TEU capacity vessel, the Oocl Spain, as part of the AEU1/LL1.

Related: COSCO Shipping Line Resumes Transits via the Suez Canal

 A new Houthi offensive in Yemen

The return of container shipping lines' transits along the Red Sea, which coincides with the launch of a new Houthi offensive in Yemen, has left several questions regarding carriers' risk-benefit assessments unanswered. This includes the need to shorten the ships' return journey to Europe in order to deal with congestion in Asian ports.

Related: Suez Canal now accounts for 57% of the Mediterranean–Asia backhaul container routes.

A recent scoop by the Financial Times adds further detail to the picture . The British newspaper revealed that on September 10, the same day they captured the port of Mocha, the Houthis sent a letter to the EU diplomatic service to reassure them, signaling their intention not to target "European ships" in the Red Sea, essentially having Saudi Arabia as their primary target. According to the diplomats' account, the militia explained more generally that they did not want to disrupt international maritime transport or compromise freedom of navigation. According to what President Donald Trump revealed in that case, similar reassurances were also addressed to the United States regarding "American ships."

Related: Rabie meets with the Executive Vice President of Assets and Operations at CMA CGM Group

As is known, ships operated by Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, MSC, and COSCO with OOCL are gradually resuming navigation through the Suez Canal, replacing the Cape of Good Hope route. Vincent Clerc, CEO of the Danish carrier, spoke to the newspaper about this matter, commenting: "There have been no attacks on container ships for over a year, despite the growing number of vessels transiting through Bab al-Mandeb. So I believe the lack of intent [to attack ships] is confirmed by the data." Clerc added that, in any case, decisions on sending ships through the strait are made daily by the company based on information from US, UK, and NATO sources.

Source: Agencies

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