MSC

Shipping Arabia, September 27, 2026 – The Port of Mukalla in Yemen has recorded a noticeable improvement in commercial vessel activity in recent days, with container, rice and wheat vessels currently being handled at the port and its anchorage.

At Berth No. 1, the container ship SAFEEN PRIDE, operating for MSC, is alongside with 525 20-foot containers on board.

Meanwhile, discharge operations are continuing from PRINCE KHALID at Berth No. 2. The vessel is carrying 7,700 tonnes of rice.

The wheat vessel HAJ MOHAMMED is also present at the port’s anchorage with a cargo of 20,700 tonnes.

Port services remain available

Yemen Arabian Sea Ports Corporation said the Port of Mukalla remains ready to provide a full range of maritime and cargo-handling services to visiting vessels.

These include loading and discharge operations, in addition to vessel supply services such as fuel, water and other requirements.

The corporation’s statement highlighted the port’s operational readiness as commercial vessel activity shows signs of improvement.

Activity recovering after earlier decline

According to observers of the maritime sector cited in the source, the decline in port activity during the previous period was linked to the current situation in the region.

They said the Port of Mukalla is now gradually recovering activity, supported by its strategic location and its role in supplying Hadramout and neighboring governorates.

The port serves as the main and only supply artery for those areas, handling essential cargoes including food products, industrial goods, petroleum products and other commodities.

The recent presence of container, rice and wheat vessels reflects the gradual improvement in vessel traffic at the port.

Source: Yemen Arabian Sea Ports Corporation

Shipping Arabia, September 23, 2026 – Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is expanding its gradual return to the Suez Canal and Red Sea, with the carrier restoring westbound sailings on its Indusa service as part of a broader, service-by-service resumption of East-West traffic through the region.

The Indusa service, linking the Indian subcontinent with the United States and Mexico, will resume Red Sea routing for westbound cargo beginning with MSC Domna X, voyage IV637A, departing Colombo on September 23.

Eastbound Indusa sailings will continue to operate around the Cape of Good Hope, reflecting MSC’s cautious approach as it continues to assess security and operational conditions in the Red Sea.

The move follows MSC’s August decision to partially restore Suez Canal transits on selected East-West services. The carrier had identified sailings on its Jade, Albatros, Himalaya and Tiger services for the initial phase, covering Asia-Mediterranean, Asia-North Europe and India-Mediterranean trades.

MSC said the transition is being implemented on a case-by-case basis, with individual booking confirmations and online schedules updated progressively as voyage plans change.

The carrier is maintaining contingency arrangements that allow individual vessels to be rerouted if conditions require, while continuing to monitor developments with relevant authorities and security partners.

The addition of Indusa represents another step in the progressive restoration of container services through Suez, as major carriers reassess Cape of Good Hope diversions and gradually return capacity to the shorter maritime corridor linking Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe and the Americas.

Source: Almal News

Shipping Arabia, September 22, 2026 – Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) became the largest container carrier operating through Damietta Port in 2025, handling 29.3% of the port’s container traffic as transshipment remained a major component of carrier volumes.

According to the latest Damietta Port Authority statistics, MSC handled approximately 375,800 TEUs, with transshipment accounting for 71.7% of its traffic through the port. The carrier had handled around 210,300 TEUs in 2024.

Yang Ming ranked second, accounting for 18.5% of Damietta’s container activity with approximately 236,800 TEUs. Unlike several other major carriers, foreign trade imports and exports represented 51.3% of Yang Ming’s traffic through the port.

Ocean Network Express (ONE) followed with a 9.4% share and approximately 120,000 TEUs, of which 61.9% was transshipment cargo. ONE had handled around 261,300 TEUs in 2024, when it accounted for 18.4% of the port’s container traffic.

Hapag-Lloyd recorded a particularly sharp shift, handling approximately 65,900 TEUs, equivalent to 5.1% of Damietta’s container activity, with transshipment representing 71% of its volume. In 2024, the carrier had handled around 454,700 TEUs and accounted for 32.1% of the port’s container traffic.

Other carriers serving Damietta included COSCO, CMA CGM, RCL and China Shipping.

Overall, Damietta received 1,007 containership calls in 2025, compared with 1,020 in 2024. Containerized cargo declined 6% to around 13.4 million tonnes, while throughput fell 10% to approximately 1.42 million TEUs, from 1.58 million TEUs a year earlier.

The figures highlight the importance of transshipment to Damietta’s container business, while also showing a significant redistribution of volumes among the major global carriers using the Egyptian Mediterranean gateway.

Source: Almal News