Is the Suez Canal Really Reopening? How Maersk and CMA CGM Will Shape the Next Phase of Global Shipping

The question of when the Suez Canal will fully reopen to regular traffic has become a key issue for global shipping, especially looking beyond December 2025.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Maersk and stated in a joint declaration that Maersk vessels will gradually resume transits through the canal starting in December.

Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc described this as an important step driven by improving regional stability and expressed hope for an early return to full capacity.

CMA CGM Signals a Full Resumption from December

The SCA has also indicated that discussions with CMA CGM are progressing.

CMA CGM has reportedly decided to fully resume transits through the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from December 2025.

Some carriers, including CMA CGM, have already been conducting trial sailings, which laid the groundwork for these latest announcements.

Geopolitical Changes in the Middle East

These moves are closely linked to developments in the Middle East.

In October 2025, Israel and the Houthi movement agreed on the first phase of a peace framework.

In November, the Houthis announced that they would suspend attacks on vessels linked to Israel.

On the back of this de-escalation, a limited number of Asia–Europe services began testing Suez routings again.

A Clear Gap Between the SCA and Maersk

One of the most important points is the clear difference in tone between the SCA and Maersk.

The SCA presents December reopening as if it were a fixed timeline.

Maersk, however, is reiterating its long-standing stance that it will only resume Suez transits once safety conditions are sufficiently met and is avoiding any firm commitment to a specific date.

A similar “reopening” announcement was made in March 2025 but did not materialize operationally, raising the possibility that the SCA may again be moving ahead of what carriers are willing to do in practice.

Potential Impact If Suez Reopening Progresses

If Suez-based routings do expand, the impact will be mixed.

In the long term, a full reopening would support greater supply chain stability.

In the short term, however, it could cause disruption, particularly around the year-end and New Year period.

Switching services from the Cape of Good Hope back to Suez will significantly shorten transit times from Asia to Europe.

This means vessels may arrive earlier than currently scheduled, potentially putting additional strain on already congested European ports and terminals.

Three Key Points to Watch

There are three main points to monitor going forward.

• When Maersk concludes that safety conditions are met and starts sending vessels back through the Suez Canal on a practical, operational basis.
• Whether CMA CGM actually follows through on its plan to fully resume Suez and Bab el-Mandeb transits from December.
• How congestion at European ports evolves if more services switch back to the Suez routing.