Shipping Arabia, October 2, 2026 – Suez Canal ship traffic rose 17.38% year on year during the first eight months of 2026, with 9,602 vessels transiting the waterway compared with 8,180 during the same period of 2025. The increase of 1,422 vessels came alongside strong growth in cargo volumes and canal revenues.
Total revenues reached about $3.493 billion from January through August, up from approximately $2.594 billion during the corresponding period of 2025. That represented an increase of $898.96 million, or 34.64%.
Cargo volumes also recorded significant growth. Total tonnage reached 437.93 million tons during the eight-month period, compared with 328.22 million tons a year earlier, an increase of 109.71 million tons or 33.43%.
August Leads Suez Canal Ship Traffic Growth
August recorded some of the strongest monthly gains across the canal’s main performance indicators. Vessel traffic increased to 1,358 ships from 1,070 in August 2025, representing an additional 288 vessels and growth of 26.92%.
The article’s reported revenue figures for August showed income rising to $570.23 million from $361.99 million in the same month of 2025. This represented an increase of $208.24 million and year-on-year growth of 57.53%.
July also recorded strong growth. A total of 1,340 vessels transited the canal during the month, compared with 1,055 in July 2025. The increase of 285 vessels represented growth of 27.01%.
July revenues reached $506.74 million, up from $355.82 million a year earlier. The increase amounted to $150.92 million, or 42.41%.
Suez Canal Authority Highlights August Performance
Adm. Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority, separately said the authority generated $567.1 million in August, compared with about $326 million during the same month of 2025, representing growth of 56.6%. His figures were presented during remarks at a World Maritime Day event held in Alexandria.
Rabiee also cited 1,358 vessel transits in August, compared with about 1,070 a year earlier, equivalent to growth of around 27%. Cargo volumes reached 68.3 million tons, compared with approximately 45.2 million tons in August 2025, an increase of 51.1%.
Regional Tensions Continue to Affect the Canal
Rabiee said the Suez Canal Authority continued to face the effects of geopolitical developments in the region and internationally. He referred to developments during September that, according to his remarks, included Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities on September 8 and Houthi control over the Mokha area near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on September 10.
He said these developments affected Saudi crude oil production and exports. According to the figures he presented, Saudi crude production fell to 6 million barrels per day from about 10 million barrels per day, while crude exports declined by around 1.1 million barrels per day in August 2026 to approximately 3.5 million barrels per day.
Rabiee also said Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline temporarily stopped operating following attacks on key energy facilities. The pipeline has an export capacity of 5 million barrels per day, according to his remarks.
He added that the escalation contributed to crude oil prices again exceeding $100 per barrel for the first time since May. Insurance companies also increased war-risk premiums, while Saudi Arabia announced the establishment of a national mechanism to insure war risks for cargoes and vessels, according to the source.
Despite those developments, Rabiee said navigation through Bab el-Mandeb had not been affected, with traffic ranging between 26 and 37 vessels per day. He added that major shipping lines had not announced changes to their Red Sea and Suez Canal routes despite continuing regional tensions.
Source: Al Mal