Egypt plans to expand Suez Canal

CAIRO: WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2021 – Egypt is planning to widen and deepen the southern part of the Suez Canal. Last March, a huge cargo ship sank in the canal, disrupting its flow for a few days.

Lieutenant General Osama Rabie, head of the Suez Canal Authority, presented details of the plan at a ceremony in the city of Ismailia. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and senior government officials attended the ceremony.

According to General Rabie, about 40 meters wide will be made on the south side of the canal. This area will be increased from 66 feet deep to 72 feet. The total length of the canal in that area is 30 kilometers.

The proposed plan also includes the expansion of the second lane of the canal, which was opened in 2015. This will allow more and more ships to pass through.

On March 23, a cargo ship named Ever Given, stuck in the canal, got stuck in this single lane. The ship is still being held at Great Bitter Lake due to financial disputes between the Suez Canal Authority and the ship’s owner.

About 10 percent of world trade passes through this canal. The canal has become a major source of foreign exchange for Egypt. According to government figures, about 19,000 ships passed through the canal in 2020 last year. – AP