China's BYD car carrier crosses Suez Canal on maiden voyage - Urban & Transport
The vessel, part of the southbound convoy, entered the international waterway from Singapore and is en route to Italy.
According to SCA Chairman Osama Rabie, the BYD XI'AN measures 219 metres in length, 37 metres in width, and has a draft of 10 metres. It boasts a capacity of 9,442 vehicles and is currently carrying 7,000 cars.
The ship is operated by the Chinese shipping line BYD, an affiliate of BYD Auto – the leading Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer. This marks the second passage by a BYD-operated car carrier through the Suez Canal, following the transit of the BYD HEFEI on 27 June.
Rabie highlighted several positive indicators suggesting a steady return and increasing frequency of car carrier transits through the canal, despite ongoing global challenges.
He also noted an expected rise in BYD voyages, as well as consistent transits by vessels affiliated with the Chinese shipping line COSCO, in cooperation with Neptune Lines.
These routes link the Far East to the Mediterranean.
Two voyages have been recorded as part of a new service launched in February 2025 by United Global Ro-Ro, connecting ports in the Far East with the Mediterranean and northwest Europe.
Rabie emphasised that the return of car carriers to the Suez Canal is a strong vote of confidence in the waterway's continued role as a vital artery of global trade between East and West.
He predicted a minimum 20 percent increase in car carrier tonnage through the canal in the second half of 2025 compared to the first half, as geopolitical and regional conditions evolve.
Captain Rizwan Kapadi, who commanded the BYD XI'AN, praised the Suez Canal as the shortest, fastest, and safest route for global trade.
He cited the canal's ability to significantly reduce sailing time and distance, along with its high safety standards, favourable navigation conditions, and climatic stability, especially when compared to the alternative route around the Cape of Good Hope.
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