Xeneta Warns Unpredictability Could Hurt Ocean Supply Chains as CMA CGM Reverses Red Sea Return Decision

CMA CGM has announced its FAL1, FAL3 and MEX services connecting Asia and Europe, which recently began transiting Suez Canal again on backhaul voyages, will return to sailing around the Cape of Good Hope.

CMA CGM cited the "the complex and uncertain international context” in reversing its decision to return to the Red Sea.

“Shippers crave predictability in supply chains. Carriers taking the decision to return to the Red Sea then reversing that decision - even if it is done for important safety reasons - still risks undermining confidence in schedule reliability and eroding trust in partnerships," said Destine Ozuygur, Senior Market Analyst at Xeneta - the ocean and air freight intelligence platform.

Latest data from Xeneta shows full loop transit times on the FAL1 service - connecting China and Singapore to six European ports including two dedicated calls to Southampton - decreased from 105 days to 98 when ships began transiting Suez Canal again. It also saw one vessel slot removed.

“Unpredictability is toxic for supply chains. Shippers want certainty over when containers arrive at port, even if that means