Egypt’s Suez Canal sees first transit of BANGKOK MAERSK

Egypt’s Suez Canal witnessed the first transit of the BANGKOK MAERSK container ship on Saturday as part of the northbound convoy, carrying 209,439 US tons and operating on MAERSK’s AE7 service linking major Asian ports with northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

The 350-metre-long and 56-metre-wide vessel can carry up to 17,200 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and is equipped with a dual-fuel engine capable of operating on green methanol to reduce harmful carbon emissions.

Suez Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie said the canal has successfully restored several shipping services operating on the Europe-Asia trade route, reflecting its strategic importance as a major link between East and West.

The canal’s navigation reports have also recorded a notable increase in the daily transit rates of MAERSK container ships. The MATHILDE MAERSK, carrying 220,462 US tons, led Saturday’s northbound convoy, followed by BANGKOK MAERSK, bringing the number of MAERSK vessels transiting the canal that day in the northbound convoy to two.

Captain Pata Radu said choosing to transit the Suez Canal instead of sailing around Africa saves around 14 days of voyage time, helping reduce time and costs and ultimately benefiting customers. The captain also praised the Suez Canal Authority’s efforts to develop the waterway and enhance navigation safety.

On Saturday, 57 vessels transited the canal, with a total net tonnage of 3.09 million US tons.