Extended Suez Canal Section To Support Global Trade Amid Challenges

Egypt has successfully tested a newly constructed 10-kilometre extension of the Suez Canal.

The initiative aims to reduce the effects of water and air currents on shipping while enhancing the key canal's overall capacity.

The Suez Canal Authority on Saturday (28 November) said that two ships navigated the newly extended section of the canal.

Osama Rabie, chief of the Suez Canal Authority, stated that the expansion in the canal's southern region will "enhance navigational safety and reduce the effects of water and air currents on passing ships".

The canal has occasionally faced incidents of vessels running aground, often caused by strong winds and sandstorms.

In 2021, the Ever Given, a massive container ship, became lodged diagonally in the canal, halting trade for almost a week and causing delays that incurred billions of dollars in costs.

According to Rabie, the new extension will increase the canal's capacity by six to eight vessels daily.

It is expected to open once updated navigational maps are made available.

Egypt carried out an $8-billion expansion of the canal in 2015, which was followed by a series of smaller development projects.

The Suez Canal has historically served as a crucial source of foreign currency for Egypt, which is currently experiencing its most severe economic crisis.

According to the International Monetary Fund, revenue from the canal has been slashed by up to 70 percent since last year because of attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea.

Before the attacks pushed companies to change routes, the Suez Canal facilitated approximately 10 percent of global maritime trade.

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