CMA CGM NOTRE DAME makes maiden transit through Suez Canal

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has announced the successful maiden transit of the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME, one of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered container ships, through the Suez Canal. The vessel transited the canal on June 16 as part of the southbound convoy, travelling from Singapore to France on its inaugural voyage through the strategic waterway.

According to the SCA, the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME measures 399.9 metres in length, 61.3 metres in width and has a draft of 16.5 metres. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 245,000 tonnes and a carrying capacity of up to 24,212 TEUs, placing it among the largest container ships currently operating in global trade. The ship is powered by LNG and incorporates advanced artificial intelligence technologies designed to support operational efficiency. It was built for long-haul intercontinental services and operates on the FAL3 service linking the Far East with Northwestern Europe.

Suez Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie said the authority implemented the necessary navigational procedures to ensure the vessel's safe transit. These included the assignment of a team of senior SCA pilots and the provision of navigational assistance through accompanying tugboats. In accordance with the authority's protocol for vessels making their first passage through the canal, Rabie delegated Chief Senior Pilot Captain Abdel Rahman Shaheen, Chief Pilot Captain Abdullah Gad and Expert Pilot Captain Nader Nagy to board the vessel, welcome the crew and present the ship's captain with a commemorative gift marking the occasion.

Rabie said the transit demonstrates the canal's ability to accommodate the world's largest and most technologically advanced container vessels. He noted that the Suez Canal continues to benefit from strategic advantages that support global supply chains and provide economic savings for shipping lines, reinforcing its role as a key trade corridor connecting East and West.

Rabie added that the authority is continuing to enhance maritime services through improvements in navigational operations and the introduction of new services aimed at meeting customer requirements and maintaining the highest standards of maritime safety for mega-vessels. The transit of the CMA CGM NOTRE DAME comes as the Suez Canal Authority continues efforts to strengthen the canal's attractiveness to major shipping lines by expanding its operational capabilities and accommodating increasingly larger vessels deployed on key global trade routes.