Container shipping through the Suez Canal is beginning to show further signs of recovery, with a number of major carriers cautiously increasing their use of the Red Sea route.

MSC has reportedly sent seven vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait during a two-week period this month, while Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have continued moving selected services back towards the Suez-Red Sea corridor. CMA CGM has also increased the number of vessels using the route.

Maersk says around a third of the traffic it would normally send through the Red Sea has now returned, with the possibility of a broader restoration of Suez services during 2026 if security conditions continue to improve.

However, recent events show that the route remains highly exposed to disruption.

The Houthis announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia in July, followed by an increase in attacks on shipping and regional infrastructure. On 11 August, an attack on the Tihamah in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait resulted in the deaths of four crew members and two rescuers.

A further incident followed days later, when an unmanned cargo vessel was struck by multiple projectiles around 40 nautical miles southeast of Al Mokha and was subsequently declared a total loss.

Operators are also taking additional precautions. Some vessels, particularly tankers carrying Saudi oil, have reportedly been disabling AIS tracking while passing through the region in an effort to reduce their visibility.

The current picture is therefore one of gradual recovery rather than normalisation. The shorter Suez route remains commercially attractive, but carrier decisions are still being shaped by rapidly changing security assessments.

Global Logistics Freight Solutions continues to monitor developments closely and will keep customers updated on any changes affecting routes, transit times or service reliability.