Market update
Carriers are returning to the Red Sea route, and August's Suez figures show it — a useful signal for anyone moving cargo between Asia and the Mediterranean.
Published · Midtrans Shipping And Services
Reviewed by Khaldoun Al-Khouli, General Manager
What a busier Suez means for Asia-Mediterranean and Egypt cargo.
Traffic
The Suez Canal recorded 1,358 vessel transits in August 2026, up 27% from 1,070 a year earlier, with net tonnage of 68.3 million tonnes and revenue of USD 567.1 million — a 56.7% rise on the USD 326 million of August 2025. The figures were given by Suez Canal Authority chairman Osama Rabie on 20 September 2026.
Why
The authority attributes the recovery to shipping lines resuming Red Sea routing after the earlier regional disruption that had pushed traffic around the Cape of Good Hope. Traffic remains below pre-crisis peaks, so routing should still be confirmed per sailing.
Clearing cargo into Egypt? We coordinate the ACID and NAFEZA steps with the Egyptian consignee's broker.
What it means
For cargo owners, a busier and more predictable Suez supports the shorter Asia-Mediterranean transit and steadier schedules for Egypt-routed and Mediterranean-bound shipments — provided the routing is confirmed for each sailing.
Egypt entry
Moving cargo into Egypt also means the advance-registration steps — ACID and NAFEZA — completed before arrival. MIDTRANS SHIPPING AND SERVICES coordinates the sea leg, the Egyptian arrival file and customs clearance, including those steps, so a routing choice becomes a delivered shipment.
MIDTRANS
Whether your cargo transits Suez or clears into Egypt, MIDTRANS plans the routing and manages the arrival and customs process. The figures above are market data as reported on the dates cited, not MIDTRANS rates — ask us for a quote on your lane.
FAQ
The Suez Canal recorded 1,358 vessel transits in August 2026, up 27% from 1,070 a year earlier, with revenue of USD 567.1 million — a 56.7% rise on August 2025 — per SCA chairman Osama Rabie (20 September 2026).
The Suez Canal Authority attributes the recovery to shipping lines resuming Red Sea routing after the earlier disruption that had pushed traffic around the Cape of Good Hope. Traffic is still below pre-crisis peaks, so confirm routing per sailing.
Egyptian imports require advance registration through ACID and NAFEZA before arrival. MIDTRANS coordinates the sea leg, the Egyptian arrival file and customs clearance — including those steps — for Egypt-routed cargo.
Asia-Mediterranean cargo and shipments bound for Egypt or other Mediterranean ports. A busier, more predictable canal supports the shorter Asia-Mediterranean transit and steadier schedules, provided the routing is confirmed for each sailing.
Before the cargo arrives. ACID is the advance cargo identification and NAFEZA the single-window registration; MIDTRANS coordinates both as part of the Egyptian arrival file, together with the sea leg and customs clearance.
No. They are canal traffic and revenue figures as reported on the dates cited, not MIDTRANS rates. For a price on your lane, ask the operations desk for a quote.
Tell us your route and cargo — MIDTRANS will plan the sea leg and coordinate the Egyptian arrival file, ACID and NAFEZA with the consignee's broker.
International Shipping & Customs Assistant
