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Egypt's Bold Move: Successful Trial of Expanded Suez Canal Channel

Maggie Johnson

By Maggie Johnson

December 31, 2024


Image Credit: “Suez Canal-Sights,” available at Yahoo Images (12/31/2024).

Egypt announced on Saturday the successful trial run of a new 10 km channel near the southern end of the Suez Canal, a significant milestone that reassures us about the future of this vital waterway. Despite a significant decline in revenue from the waterway since Yemen's Houthi militants began targeting vessels in the Red Sea, the Suez Canal Authority confirmed that two ships successfully passed through the new section of the canal during the test without any issues.

The trial run follows the 2021 grounding of the Ever Given, a container ship that blocked the Suez Canal for six days, prompting Egypt to fast-track plans for expanding the southern section of the canal. This expansion involved the construction of a second channel and widening the existing waterway to accommodate more traffic and prevent future disruptions.

However, Egypt's revenue from the Suez Canal has significantly decreased since November 2023, when Houthi militants began launching attacks on ships in the Red Sea, citing their support for Palestinian militants in Gaza. As a result, Egypt's total revenue from the canal fell by over 60% in 2024. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi revealed a loss of approximately $7 billion due to these regional security challenges.

The latest expansion brings the total length of the canal's two-way section to 82 km, up from 72 km, while the full length of the canal remains 193 km. The Suez Canal Authority stated that the expansion would increase the waterway's capacity by an additional 6 to 8 ships per day and improve its ability to handle emergencies more effectively.

In addition to this 10 km extension, Egypt is considering further expansion projects aimed at enhancing the canal's capacity and operational efficiency. This underscores the strategic importance of the Suez Canal to global trade, making the news significant despite the recent setbacks. Egypt's commitment to strengthening the Suez Canal as a critical transit route between Europe and Asia is unwavering.

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