Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) CEO, Soren Toft, stated that the shipping line is waiting for the full restoration of stability in the Red Sea before redirecting its vessels back to the region.
Toft made these comments during a video conference with Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman, Ossama Rabiee, where they discussed the current situation in the Red Sea.
The meeting was attended by several SCA board members, along with an MSC Egypt delegation that included MSC Egypt CEO Tarek Fahmy, Business Development Manager Karim Fahmy, and Operations Manager Ezz Eldeen Salem.
The delegates addressed the developments in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab region, analyzing their impact on global shipping, and reviewed MSC’s navigation policies through the Suez Canal.
Toft emphasized that while major shipping lines have had to reroute their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope over the past two years to avoid conflict in the Red Sea, this route is not MSC’s preferred option.
He said, “We do not prefer navigating around the Cape of Good Hope, and we are waiting for the situation to stabilize so we can return to transit through the Suez Canal.”
He explained that the Cape of Good Hope route lacks navigational services, requiring vessels to exercise greater caution while transiting, making it a less optimal choice for MSC.
Rabiee assured the delegates that the SCA is committed to effectively communicating with its clients to address their needs and confront the challenges brought on by the security crisis in the Red Sea.
Despite the ongoing situation, he stated that the authority has not halted its navigational and maritime services. In fact, it has introduced a new suite of services, including maritime salvage, ship repair and maintenance, crew changes, and water ambulance services.
Rabiee highlighted the work being done at the SCA-affiliated Port-Said Shipyard, which provided ship maintenance and repair services to the MSC Rossella III while docked at the floating dock Fakhr Al-Qanah.
The shipyard is also replacing the bulbous bow of the MSC Renaissance, a modification designed to reduce fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions, marking the first time such work has been done by an Egyptian shipyard.
Additionally, Rabiee reiterated that the authority is pushing forward with its ambitious development plans for the waterway.
He confirmed that the Southern Sector Development Project, which enhances navigational safety for larger vessels transiting the canal, has been completed and is now operational.
