Container shipping activity through the Suez Canal is increasing, but readers are not yet convinced that the route has returned to normal. Recent weeks have brought a series of moves towards the Red Sea and Suez route. Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk are returning four Gemini Cooperation services, while MSC has partially restored Suez transits on its Indusa service. Meanwhile, the OOCL Portugal recently completed a southbound Suez transit , marking COSCO Shipping Lines’ first such passage since Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb tensions disrupted shipping patterns. COSCO is now considering additional voyages through the Canal. Yang Ming is also considering a return, while OOCL intends to conduct an experimental transit during October. Against that backdrop, Container News asked readers: Is Suez becoming the normal route again? The results point towards caution. Readers largely stopped short of describing the return as complete, instead favouring a more gradual or selective interpretation of the changes taking place. Suez return is not yet seen as normal The strongest overall view was that the answer is “not yet.” This suggests readers recognise that a return towards Suez is taking place but do not believe current developments are sufficient to describe the route as normal again. The distinction is important. Increased carrier activity does not necessarily mean that the broader transition back to Suez has been completed. For readers, the current situation appears to represent a transition rather than a completed return. Selective services remain part of the picture Another significant group believes Suez is becoming normal again only for some services . That position closely reflects the gradual nature of the changes currently taking place. Rather than viewing container shipping as moving collectively back towards Suez, readers appear to see the process as dependent on individual services and routing decisions. This suggests that normalisation may develop progressively across s