145 ships cross Suez Canal in 3 days: Mamesh

CAIRO – 15 November 2017: Head of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Mohab Mamesh said that as many as 145 ships transited the Suez Canal from November 12 to 14, with a total cargo of 8.8 million tons.

The Suez Canal is an artificial waterway in Egypt, extending from Port Said to Suez, connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Seas and separating Africa from Asia.

The canal provides the shortest naval route between Europe and the countries around Indian and western Pacific oceans. It is considered one of the most heavily used shipping lanes in the world, according to Suez Canal official website.

In August 2015, Egypt inaugurated an expansion of the Suez Canal by adding a 35-kilometer waterway parallel to the original canal, aiming to increase traffic on the canal and raise Egypt’s international revenues.

The Canal’s revenues in the first half (H1) of 2017 registered $2.938 billion, up from $2.919 billion, Mamesh said in previous statements.

On November 9, Mamesh announced that 65 ships carrying a load of 4.3 million tons have passed through the Suez Canal, recording the highest number in the history of the canal.