Shipping Giant Tests Waters for Return to Red Sea Route
Global shipping appears to be entering a new chapter, as an Ultra Large Container Vessel (ULCV) has completed a Red Sea transit for the first time in nearly two years.
The 17,859-TEU CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin is now en route to Asia after successfully sailing through the Red Sea – reversing its earlier westbound voyage that had taken the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.
Vessel-tracking data shows the ship transited the Suez Canal before its AIS signal went dark for six days, a precaution believed to be linked to the ongoing threat of Houthi attacks in the region. The signal reappeared on November 7th, confirming the vessel had cleared the high-risk area and was sailing safely through the Gulf of Aden.
The CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin has since crossed the Arabian Sea and is scheduled to arrive at Port Klang, Malaysia, on November 14th.
Its sister ship, the CMA CGM Zheng He, has also made a successful passage through the Red Sea, and additional CMA CGM vessels are reportedly following suit – among them, at least one westbound service from Asia to Europe.
CMA CGM’s decision to restart some of its transits via the Red Sea represents a notable strategic shift after months of rerouting vessels around southern Africa. Since early 2024, major carriers have avoided the region due to persistent security risks, and few expected a resumption of direct Asia–Europe sailings so soon, even as ceasefire talks in Gaza continue.
Whether CMA CGM’s renewed confidence will encourage other lines to reopen the shorter Asia–Europe corridor remains to be seen.
For now, Evolution Forwarding will continue to closely monitor the situation and its potential impact on global shipping routes.
