CMA CGM signed a contract with Cochin Shipyard for six 1,700 TEU LNG-powered feeder containerships, with first delivery due February 2029 and Indian registration expected.
French carrier CMA CGM will keep three services on the longer route around Africa instead of using the Suez Canal, even as Maersk returns to the Red Sea and markets weigh capacity and freight-rate impacts.
CMA CGM will restart its INDAMEX service via the Suez Canal, cutting the full loop to 77 days and freeing up two vessels as the container market faces overcapacity and weaker spot rates.
Suez Canal traffic is beginning to rise as carriers reassess Red Sea routes following the pause in Houthi attacks. Recent transit data and direct engagement by the Suez Canal Authority highlight a measured return of vessel movements.
Yemen’s Houthis have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their blockade on Israeli ports amid a Gaza truce, easing tensions in Red Sea shipping lanes.
The Suez Canal Authority met with global shipping lines in Ismailia, urging them to resume transits as regional calm and safety improvements support vessel returns.
CMA CGM selects Cochin Shipyard in India to build six LNG-powered feeder ships, marking a major step in India’s emergence as a global shipbuilding hub.
