Container ship traffic through the Suez Canal is gaining momentum, with major ocean carriers gradually restoring scheduled services along the strategic waterway after increasingly using the longer and more expensive route around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), confirmed the rebound on Sunday during a meeting with Egypt’s ambassador to Panama, Ahmed Fawzy El-Sherif, at the SCA’s Guidance Building in Ismailia.
The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the Suez and Panama Canals, two of the world’s most important maritime corridors, and developing strategies to maximise their economic contribution to global trade.
Rabie highlighted the challenges facing both waterways. The Panama Canal has been affected by climate-related pressures and severe El Niño drought, while geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the United States, the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have significantly disrupted traffic through the Suez Canal and the wider region.
Against these challenges, both sides agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation to ensure that the two vital arteries of global trade remain resilient, operational and capable of supporting the smooth movement of goods worldwide.
El-Sherif stressed the need for Egypt and Panama to use the renewed momentum to deepen bilateral relations across several sectors. He said cooperation between the two canals would be a key focus of his diplomatic tenure.
He also proposed joint maritime exercises and collaborative industry events as part of efforts to strengthen the emerging partnership and promote closer cooperation within the global shipping industry.
The renewed Suez Canal traffic and closer ties with the Panama Canal come as global shipping continues to face growing pressure from geopolitical tensions, climate-related disruptions and the rising cost of alternative trade routes.
