The Suez Canal has welcomed one of the world’s largest cruise ships, MSC Euribia, marking its first transit through the waterway as part of a broader return of passenger vessels to the route.
The LNG-powered cruise ship, operated by MSC, joined the southern convoy after sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The vessel is en route from the United Arab Emirates to Malta, having changed course to use the Suez Canal instead of the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.
According to the Suez Canal Authority, the ship had previously been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz for several weeks before successfully resuming its voyage. The vessel measures 331 meters in length, with a beam of 51.9 meters, and sails under the Maltese flag with 192 crew members on board.
As part of standard protocol for first-time transits, representatives of the Suez Canal Authority boarded the vessel to welcome the crew and present a commemorative gift to the ship’s master.
On the same day, the canal also handled the transit of the cruise ship Celestyal Journey, which sailed as part of the southern convoy on a route from the UAE to Turkey. The vessel is 219 meters long with a beam of 30 meters.
“Ongoing development projects have enhanced the canal’s ability to accommodate the newest and largest vessels,” said Ossama Rabiee, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority. “These improvements strengthen navigational safety and reinforce the canal’s position as a key global trade route.”
Recent upgrades include the Southern Sector Development Project, which expanded parts of the canal by 40 meters and extended double-lane sections by 10 kilometers in the Bitter Lakes area.
The authority reported that 45 vessels transited the canal on the same day, with a total net tonnage of 1.7 million tons, highlighting continued traffic flow despite regional challenges.
