Evergreen Resumes Red Sea Shipping Routes via Suez Canal
Taiwanese container carrier Evergreen has resumed Suez Canal transits after nearly three years, marking a key shift in global carrier operations and Red Sea shipping routes.
Ocean Alliance Partner Resumes Suez Transits
Taiwanese ocean line Evergreen has officially rejoined active Red Sea shipping routes, ending a nearly three-year suspension of Suez Canal transits caused by heightened maritime security risks in the region. According to statements from the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), the 16,556-TEU containership Ever Eon successfully transited the waterway on November 8 while en route from the Netherlands to Singapore.
The 369-meter vessel operates on the Ocean Alliance’s NEU7 service, which connects major trade gateways in the Far East with Northwest Europe.
Suez Canal Authority Chairman Admiral Ossama Rabiee confirmed that senior canal pilots boarded the vessel during its transit to welcome the crew and present a commemorative gift to the ship’s master, in line with established protocol for returning services.
Expanding Network and Carrier Operations
Evergreen’s return makes it the final major Ocean Alliance member to restore regular Suez Canal transit schedules, following similar moves by partners CMA CGM, COSCO, and OOCL. Additional transits are scheduled in the coming weeks, including the 16,556-TEU Ever Edit on the NEU7 service and the 20,124-TEU Ever Gifted on the Asia-Mediterranean MD2 service.
Industry reports from Linerlytica indicate that Evergreen is also relaunching its dedicated China-Red Sea (OGRD) service, deploying 7,000 to 9,000-TEU vessels to connect Chinese ports directly with Red Sea destinations including Jeddah, Sokhna, and Aqaba.
Operational Significance
For container shipping lines, shipowners, and logistics planners, the gradual shift back to Red Sea shipping routes provides substantial operational efficiencies. Bypassing the lengthy Cape of Good Hope detour saves approximately 3,000 nautical miles and roughly 10 days of sailing per voyage between Asia and Europe. This transition is expected to increase effective vessel capacity across global container shipping networks while reducing fuel consumption and transit times. However, carriers emphasize that they will continuously monitor regional maritime security conditions and adjust sailing schedules as necessary to ensure crew and vessel safety.
