CMA CGM and MSC have returned their joint Northern Europe–Australia service to the Suez Canal route in both directions, replacing the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.
The service operates as Newmo under CMA CGM and Australia Express under MSC. The shorter routing is expected to reduce the number of vessels deployed on the service from 18 to 16, with an average capacity of around 9,000 TEU, while keeping the same port rotation.
The service connects key ports across Europe, Australia, and Asia, including London Gateway, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Le Havre, Valencia, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle, Singapore, and Colombo.
The carriers have not yet announced the updated transit times following the return to the Suez Canal route.
The move comes as major container lines continue to gradually increase their use of the Red Sea and Suez Canal during 2026, while still assessing individual services and voyages based on security and operational conditions in the region.