Ocean Alliance maintains the detour via the Cape, while preparing a “Suez plan”

The Ocean Alliance (CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, Evergreen, and OOCL) has just unveiled its “Day 10” East-West network, which will come into effect from April 1, 2026. Key message: despite the signals of a gradual return to the Red Sea, the alliance chooses, for the time being, to continue routing its Asia–Europe and Asia–Mediterranean loops via the Cape of Good Hope.

The decision reflects a simple reality: the situation in the Red Sea remains too uncertain to permanently shift toward Suez. OOCL explains it by highlighting the safety of crews, ships, and goods, while acknowledging that a return to Suez must be anticipated. Result: the alliance also publishes an alternative version of the “via Suez” rotations, ready to be activated… but without a switchover schedule.

At the same time, the market is observing strategic volatility: Seatrade points out that CMA CGM itself has “backed down” on some announced returns to Suez, preferring to go back via the Cape “in a complex international context.” For shippers, this alternation of announcements and reversals fuels a major risk: the erosion of confidence in the reliability of schedules. An analyst quoted by Seatrade recalls that shippers primarily seek predictability, and that sudden changes, even if motivated by security, weaken logistical partnerships.

In clear terms: the Ocean Alliance is locking in a cautious strategy for April 2026, while keeping a “Suez switch” ready to be activated if conditions stabilize. For supply chain players, this is a strong signal: they must continue to plan with extended transit times and strained capacity, while remaining ready for a rapid reconfiguration of routes if Suez becomes navigable again.

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