Shipping Arabia, October 4, 2026 – The Premier Alliance Suez Canal return is set to begin this month as ONE, HMM and Yang Ming restore their FE1 service between Southeast Asia and Northern Europe via the canal, adding further momentum to the container shipping sector’s gradual shift away from Cape of Good Hope diversions.
According to consultancy Linerlytica, the move will mark Premier Alliance’s first departure from the Cape routing it adopted in January. The first sailing is expected to be operated by the 8,110-TEU ONE Continuity, which is scheduled to depart Laem Chabang on October 17.
Premier Alliance had remained one of the more prominent holdouts from the Suez route while rival carriers gradually rebuilt services through the Red Sea. Its planned return now adds to the cumulative shift in container capacity back toward the canal.
Premier Alliance Suez Canal Return Follows Other Service Changes
The Gemini partners, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, are also increasing their use of the route. Hapag-Lloyd confirmed that its SE1 service will route the Umm Qarn toward Suez from Tanjung Pelepas on October 27.
That change follows earlier route adjustments involving the NE4, SE2 and IEX services, according to the report.
The scale of the broader return is becoming increasingly significant. Maritime Strategies International estimates that around 35% of Asia-Europe sailings are currently using the Red Sea.
Meanwhile, Linerlytica calculates that more than 140 containerships representing over 2 million TEU of capacity have returned to Suez Canal routes since May.
Security Remains Main Constraint on Faster Normalization
Despite the accelerating return, security conditions remain the principal obstacle to a faster normalization of Red Sea shipping, according to Linerlytica.
Demand for naval escorts through the southern Red Sea has risen to the point that the European Union’s Aspides mission has acknowledged that the available warships are insufficient to meet all escort requests.
This security constraint continues to affect the pace at which carriers can restore services through the region, even as a growing share of Asia-Europe sailings returns to the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
Suez Return Raises Container Capacity Concerns
The gradual restoration of Suez routings is also increasing attention on the amount of vessel capacity that could return to the market.
Cape of Good Hope diversions have helped absorb a substantial amount of containership capacity. Linerlytica said the containership orderbook has reached a record 15.6 million TEU, equivalent to more than 45% of the current fleet.
As more services return to the shorter Suez routing, some of the effective capacity absorbed by longer voyages could be released back into the market.
Freight markets are already showing early signs of pressure. Freightos reported that Asia-Northern Europe spot rates fell 9% in its latest weekly assessment to $3,376 per FEU.
Asia-Mediterranean spot rates declined 7% to $3,620 per FEU. Part of the weakness was attributed to the gradual resumption of Red Sea shipping, which is restoring effective vessel capacity.
MSI Flags Earnings Impact as Voyages Shorten
Maritime Strategies International has also warned that a resumption of Suez Canal transits could weigh on earnings because shorter routings reduce vessel demand.
However, its latest containership outlook continues to indicate strong charter markets through the first half of 2027, particularly for feeder and midsize vessels.
Congestion is currently absorbing part of the potential capacity surplus. Linerlytica estimates that 3.76 million TEU, equivalent to 10.9% of the global fleet, is currently affected by congestion.
Sea-Intelligence places the proportion at more than 8% and estimates that the disruption could take seven to 10 months to fully unwind.
The Premier Alliance Suez Canal return, alongside other service restorations, therefore comes as the container shipping market faces a combination of easing route diversions, significant new vessel capacity and persistent congestion.
Source: Al Mal News
