CMA CGM Returns to the Red Sea: INDAMEX Service Resumes Full Transit Through the Suez Canal

Global container shipping is taking a cautious but significant step toward normalizing Red Sea routes. CMA CGM has officially announced that its INDAMEX service, connecting India/Pakistan with the U.S. East Coast, will fully return to transiting the Suez Canal—a move widely interpreted as a major milestone in the gradual re-opening of this critical corridor.

A Structural Shift: CMA CGM Verdi Leads the Way

The first vessel to complete the full INDAMEX rotation via the Suez Canal will be the CMA CGM VERDI, scheduled to depart Karachi on January 15, bound for New York.
According to Xeneta’s market intelligence platform eeSea, routing through the Suez Canal will shorten the voyage by around 14 days compared with the detour around the Cape of Good Hope. The full rotation is expected to be reduced to 77 days, a substantial improvement in transit time for shippers.

Peter Sand, Chief Analyst at Xeneta, emphasized the importance of the move:

“This does not mean the entire industry is ready to return to the Red Sea, but CMA CGM’s decision to reinstate a complete east–west loop through the Suez Canal is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.”

He explained that CMA CGM and select carriers have recently begun testing limited Suez transits—mainly during eastbound backhaul voyages, when onboard cargo volumes are lower. Historically, such transits were isolated exceptions. CMA CGM’s official and full reinstatement, however, marks a structural shift rather than a one-off deviation.

More Vessels Will Follow

Before the full rotation takes effect, four additional INDAMEX vessels—
APL OREGON, CMA CGM PASSION, APL LE HAVRE, CMA CGM MAUPASSANT—
will transit eastbound through the Suez Canal.

CMA CGM also confirmed that several other vessels, including CMA CGM JULES VERNE, APL CHANGI, CMA CGM GALAPAGOS, CMA CGM GRACE BAY, APL MERLION, and CMA CGM KIMBERLEY, have recently passed eastbound, though only some were officially part of the new routing announcement.

Other Carriers Remain Cautious

Despite CMA CGM’s initiative, no other major carriers have released firm timelines for restoring Red Sea shipping routes:

• Hapag-Lloyd – No confirmed schedule
• Maersk – No official announcement
• ZIM – Awaiting approval from insurance providers

This hesitation reflects persistent security risks in the region.
In November 2025, only 120 container vessels passed through the Suez Canal—far below the 583 vessels recorded in October 2023, just before Houthi attacks escalated. Carriers continue to evaluate the risk matrix across three pillars:

• Capability of potential attackers
• Opportunity, which increases with vessel volume
• Intent, which remains uncertain

Impact on Capacity, Transit Times, and Rates

The shift back to the Suez Canal will allow the INDAMEX service to operate more efficiently, enabling CMA CGM to remove two vessels from the rotation.
This is an early indicator of what large-scale Red Sea reopening could mean for the industry:

• More deployed capacity entering the market
• Shorter transit times to the U.S. East Coast and North Europe
• Potential downward pressure on freight rates

According to Xeneta data, even without a full Red Sea reopening, spot freight rates on:

• Far East → U.S. East Coast have already dropped 57%
• Far East → North Europe have fallen 53%

Sand noted that if other carriers follow CMA CGM’s lead, the market may see a surge of capacity—a scenario likely to push rates down further, even to loss-making levels for some carriers. Most lines, however, are aware of these risks and continue to act cautiously.

What This Means for U.S. and European Importers

For shippers, consignees, and supply-chain planners in the U.S. and Europe, the return of even one major service to the Suez Canal offers:

• Improved transit time reliability
• Reduced sailing time from South Asia to the U.S. East Coast
• Early signals of potential freight rate adjustments
• A possible easing of schedule disruptions

However, the industry is still far from a complete normalization of Red Sea transits, and importers should expect gradual—not immediate—stability.

For Now, shippers and consignees may continue to monitor the following alongside Linkway Freight:
Carrier advisories / Insurance restrictions / Regional security updates / Spot rate movements

As the industry cautiously moves towards the possibility of a full recovery, the aforementioned matters warrant continued close monitoring.