The Suez Canal marked a major milestone Tuesday, July 15, with the transit of BYD XI'AN, one of the world’s largest car carriers, during its maiden voyage. The vessel, part of the southern convoy, is sailing from Singapore to Italy.
The BYD XI'AN is 219 meters long, 37 meters wide, with a draft of 10 meters. It can carry up to 9,442 vehicles and is currently transporting 7,000 cars. The ship operates under the Chinese shipping line BYD, which is also the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in China. This marks the second voyage through the Suez Canal by a BYD vessel, following the transit of BYD HEFEI on June 27.
Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, stated that the canal is seeing strong, consistent traffic from car carriers despite global challenges. He noted an expected rise in BYD’s shipping activity, along with regular voyages from COSCO in collaboration with Neptune Lines, and two recent crossings by United Global Ro-Ro, which launched a service in February linking ports in the Far East with those in the Mediterranean and Northwestern Europe.
Rabie emphasized that the return of car carriers to the canal signals trust in its position as a critical trade route between East and West. He expects a minimum 20% increase in car carrier traffic in the second half of 2025 compared to the first.
Captain Rizwan Kapadi of the BYD XI'AN praised the Suez Canal as the fastest, safest, and most reliable route for global shipping, offering time and distance savings, high safety standards, and stable navigation conditions compared to the Cape of Good Hope.
The BYD XI'AN is 219 meters long, 37 meters wide, with a draft of 10 meters. It can carry up to 9,442 vehicles and is currently transporting 7,000 cars. The ship operates under the Chinese shipping line BYD, which is also the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in China. This marks the second voyage through the Suez Canal by a BYD vessel, following the transit of BYD HEFEI on June 27.
Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, stated that the canal is seeing strong, consistent traffic from car carriers despite global challenges. He noted an expected rise in BYD’s shipping activity, along with regular voyages from COSCO in collaboration with Neptune Lines, and two recent crossings by United Global Ro-Ro, which launched a service in February linking ports in the Far East with those in the Mediterranean and Northwestern Europe.
Rabie emphasized that the return of car carriers to the canal signals trust in its position as a critical trade route between East and West. He expects a minimum 20% increase in car carrier traffic in the second half of 2025 compared to the first.
Captain Rizwan Kapadi of the BYD XI'AN praised the Suez Canal as the fastest, safest, and most reliable route for global shipping, offering time and distance savings, high safety standards, and stable navigation conditions compared to the Cape of Good Hope.
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