---
title: Carriers Are Making a Cautious Return to the Red Sea
description: Explore the cautious return of container shipping to the Red Sea and Suez Canal in 2026, its impact on freight rates, congestion, and global shipping networks.
image: https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/hubfs/redseafeatured.jpg
---

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# Carriers Are Making a Cautious Return to the Red Sea

![Daniel](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e)

 Daniel

January 29, 2026

![red sea](https://442310841.fs1.hubspotusercontent-ap1.net/hub/442310841/hubfs/red%20sea.png?width=1200&length=1200&name=red%20sea.png)

Carriers are making announcements of potential return and even isolated transits on the Red Sea and Suez Canal. However, security and operational un-certainties are still a major hurdle to a wide-scale return to Suez transits.

Houthi attacks have stopped over the past several months, but a single attack can change the entire landscape.

CMA CGM announced in December that its INDAMEX service will be making fronthaul and backhaul voyages via the Suez Canal. In mid-January, Maersk had a second vessel make a Red Sea and Suez transit. Other carriers are awaiting insurance approval to commit vessels to the Red Sea voyages.

A large-scale return of container shipping to the Red Sea is very likely in 2026. A large-scale return would have system-wide consequences, such as rising congestion levels as networks readjust and vessels arrive simultaneously.

A total return is setto unlock additional vessel capacity at a time when container shipping is dealing with oversupply. An additional capacity will put further downward pressure on freight rates.

In conclusion, ocean carriers aren’t in a hurry to return to the Suez Canal, having invested heavily in Cape of Good Hope rotations in the past few years. Other changes have also happened, including the restructuring of container alliances and geopolitical disruptions that require consideration before a return to the Red Sea.

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