# MSC Reroutes Seven Container Ships Through Suez and Bab el-Mandeb **Category:** Operational Alerts | **Source:** Frachtportal Redaktion | **Published:** 2026-08-19 | **Updated:** 2026-09-12 **Tags:** MSC, Suez, Suezkanal, Bab El-Mandeb, Rotes Meer, Containerverkehr, Seefracht, MSC Irina, MSC Amelia, Asien Europa, Cape Hope, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Digitalisierung > MSC is increasingly operating through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea again. Seven vessels have already been documented. However, a complete return to the route has not yet been officially announced. --- MSC appears to be returning to the Suez Canal and Red Sea route considerably faster than expected. According to Linerlytica, seven MSC vessels have been documented transiting through Suez and subsequently through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Among these are large container ships: the MSC Irina with a capacity of 24,346 TEU and the MSC Amelia with 23,782 TEU. Noteworthy is the manner of passage. According to Linerlytica, all seven transits through Bab el-Mandeb had their AIS transponders switched off. AIS is the Automatic Identification System, through which a vessel's position and movement data become visible. These so-called "dark transits" are designed to make ships less easily traceable in this particularly high-risk region. Nevertheless, this should not yet be interpreted as a complete return by MSC to the Suez Canal. MSC itself has not yet announced a general return. The observed transits have so far been eastbound toward Asia. However, Linerlytica expects further such passages. The background is also economically motivated. Circumnavigating Africa via the Cape of Good Hope costs time and ties up considerable vessel capacity. A return via Suez can save approximately seven to fourteen days of transit time, depending on the route. At the same time, major Chinese ports are struggling with backlogs and waiting times of up to twelve days following typhoons. This is significant for freight rates. If more vessels return to the shorter Suez route, less additional capacity will be bound up in the lengthy Africa circumnavigation. This could place additional downward pressure on ocean freight rates. The Shanghai-North Europe Index recently stood at approximately 4,811 USD per 40-foot container, roughly 3 percent below the level on August 7. --- This means above all: Do not automatically assume that every MSC booking now routes through Suez again. Routing and transit time should continue to be verified for each departure. Especially for time-sensitive cargo, it makes a significant difference whether a vessel transits through Suez or continues around Africa. For shippers, a broader return via Suez could bring shorter transit times. At the same time, it could put pressure on freight rates in the medium term, as vessels become available for their next voyage more quickly. However, the security risk in the Red Sea has not disappeared. "Dark transits" suggest rather the opposite: shipping lines are operating again, but continue to actively limit the risk. In short: MSC is transiting through Suez significantly more frequently – but it cannot yet be said that normal scheduling through the Red Sea has resumed. --- Linerlytica documented seven MSC vessels on the route through Suez and Bab el-Mandeb. MSC Amelia: 23,782 TEU, Suez on July 31, Bab el-Mandeb on August 3. MSC Vega: 13,102 TEU, Suez on July 31. MSC Giulia: 9,408 TEU, Suez already on July 21. MSC Irina: 24,346 TEU, Suez on August 4. MSC Annabella: 15,413 TEU, Suez on August 4. MSC Oliver: 19,224 TEU, Suez on August 10. MSC Napoli: 15,576 TEU, Suez on August 12. According to Linerlytica, all seven Bab el-Mandeb passages occurred without active AIS. MSC has not officially announced a complete return to regular Suez routing to date. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [Egypt](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/eg) - [Saudi Arabia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/sa) - [Yemen](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ye) - [China](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cn) ### Seaports - [Shanghai (CNSGH)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/shanghai-port-cnsgh) - [Ningbo (CNNBO)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/ningbo-port-cnnbo) - [Guangzhou (CN GGZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/guangzhou-port-cn-ggz) - [Chaozhou (CN COZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/chaozhou-port-cn-coz) - [Dammam (SA DMM)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/dammam-port-sa-dmm) ### Glossary - [Container](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/container) - [Freight](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/freight) - [Freight rate](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/freight-rate) - [Spot market](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/spot-market) - [Goods](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/goods) - [Sea freight](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/sea-freight-2) - [Bulk Freight Rate Benchmarking](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/bulk-freight-rate-benchmarking) - [Cape of Good Hope Route](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/cape-of-good-hope-route) - [Cape of Good Hope Route Pilot Coordination](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/cape-of-good-hope-route-pilot-coordination) - [Cape of Good Hope Route Route Release](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/cape-of-good-hope-route-route-release) - [Route Recommendation Sea Freight from East Africa to Saudi Arabia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/route-recommendation-sea-freight-from-east-africa-to-saudi-arabia) - [Suez Canal Passage](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/suez-canal-passage) - [Suez Canal Passage Bottleneck Management](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/suez-canal-passage-bottleneck-management) - [Suez Canal Passage Route Approval](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/suez-canal-passage-route-approval) - [Suez Canal Passage Weather Routing](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/suez-canal-passage-weather-routing) - [ROPA](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/ropa) - [Sea freight delay](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/sea-freight-delay) - [container ship](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/container-ship) - [gross container ship](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/gross-container-ship) - [Spot Rate](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/spot-rate) - [Dark Transit](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/dark-transit) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/msc-schickt-sieben-containerschiffe-wieder-durch-suez-und-bab-el-mandeb-20260818210739](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/msc-schickt-sieben-containerschiffe-wieder-durch-suez-und-bab-el-mandeb-20260818210739)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/msc-schickt-sieben-containerschiffe-wieder-durch-suez-und-bab-el-mandeb-20260818210739](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/msc-schickt-sieben-containerschiffe-wieder-durch-suez-und-bab-el-mandeb-20260818210739)*