Adm. Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority, announced, that navigation through the Canal witnessed the transit of the container ship ASTRID MAERSK on its first voyage through the Canal.
The ship had handled containers at the container terminal in East Port Said Port, then bunkered environmentally friendly methanol before proceeding through the Suez Canal as part of the north convoy on its voyage bound for Oman.
The mega vessel, affiliated to the shipping line Maersk, is 350 meters in length, with a beam of 54 meters, and a draft of 14.8 meters, with a gross tonnage of 185,000 tons, making it the largest container ship affiliated to Maersk shipping line to transit through the Canal in two years.
The ship is the third Maersk vessel to transit through the Suez Canal since the Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed between the Suez Canal Authority and the Danish Group. This follows the transit of the first ship, MAERSK SEBAROK, last December, and the second ship MAERSK DENVER last January, a testament to the close cooperation between the two sides.
This voyage marks the first transit of the ME-11 service, operating on the India/Middle East and the Mediterranean trade route. The ME-11 service is part of Gemini Cooperation, which includes Maersk Line and Hapag-Lloyd, following the alliance’s announcement to reroute this service to the Suez Canal in both directions instead of the Cape of Good Hope, starting from mid-February.
In accordance with the Suez Canal Authority's protocol for vessels transiting through the Canal for the first time, the Chairman of the Authority, Adm. Ossama Rabiee, delegated Captain Saeed Imam, First Chief Pilot, and Captain Ahmed Nossier, First Chief Pilot, to board the ship, welcome its crew, and present a commemorative gift to the ship's master.
Adm. Rabiee stressed that the commencement of the rerouting of the first shipping service affiliated to Gemini Cooperation represents a return to the right course, to the shortest and most sustainable route for global trade between East and West, a step that reflects the commitment of major shipping lines to transiting through the Suez Canal.
The Chairman of the Authority pointed out that the Suez Canal has begun to reap the first fruits of its efforts to restore major shipping lines, emphasizing the continuation of efforts to gradually increase navigation rates through sustained direct communication with clients and the adoption of flexible marketing policies.
The Chairman further revealed that the incentives and flexible marketing policies implemented by the Authority during 2025 successfully attracted 784 vessels, with a total net tonnage of 36.6 million tons, generating revenues of $170.4 million.
Adm. Rabie also noted that the vessel ASTRID MAERSK benefited from Navigational Circular No. (3/2025) concerning container ships, which grants a 15% toll reduction on Canal transit tolls for container ships with a net tonnage exceeding 130,000 tons, whether laden or in ballast. H. E. also pointed out that since last May, this circular has successfully attracted 64 vessels with a total net tonnage of 9.9 million tons.
It is worth noting that the Canal’s navigation statistics, today, Tuesday, recorded the transit of 36 vessels, with a total gross tonnage of approximately 2 million tons.
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