Global container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd has begun gradually resuming operations through the Suez Canal, with three of its shipping services already returning to the waterway. Additional services on Far East routes are expected to follow in the coming months.
The announcement was made during a video conference between Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Osama Rabie and Hapag-Lloyd Chief Executive Officer Rolf Habben Jansen, who discussed opportunities to strengthen future co-operation.
Rabie welcomed the return of major shipping lines to the canal, describing it as the most viable route amid rising fuel costs and the absence of sustainable alternatives.
He expressed hope that all Hapag-Lloyd services would resume transiting the canal in the near future and affirmed the SCA’s readiness to provide a comprehensive range of maritime and logistics services to vessels using the waterway.
He added that direct communication with Hapag-Lloyd’s senior management would open new avenues for co-operation and knowledge exchange, particularly as the company seeks to expand its investments and presence in the Egyptian market.
For his part, Habben Jansen welcomed the resumption of the company’s Suez Canal transits, stressing that the waterway would remain an attractive shipping route as long as conditions allow.
He also expressed Hapag-Lloyd’s willingness to deepen co-operation with the SCA through the establishment of a joint working group to explore investment opportunities and develop initiatives that serve the interests of both parties.
Jansen said the company’s gradual return to the canal was already under way, with three shipping services having resumed transit. He added that further services operating on Far East routes are expected to return to the canal soon.
The meeting also explored potential co-operation between the SCA’s Maritime Training and Simulation Academy and the Damietta Alliance Container Terminal (Tahya Misr 1) at Damietta Port, particularly in the training of ship captains.
As a major investor in the Damietta Alliance terminal, Hapag-Lloyd sees opportunities for closer collaboration in maritime training and operational expertise.
