18 September 2026
COSCO returns to Suez Canal as OOCL Portugal makes southbound transit

COSCO Shipping Lines has made its first southbound transit through the Suez Canal since the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb tensions disrupted shipping patterns, according to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA). The milestone came with the transit of the OOCL Portugal on 16 September. The vessel was sailing from Belgium to China as part of the north convoy, the SCA said. OOCL Portugal returns to Suez route OOCL Portugal is deployed on the NEU2 service operated by the Ocean Alliance, connecting major ports in the Far East and Northwest Europe. The vessel has a capacity of 24,188 TEUs and measures approximately 400 metres in length and 61.
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