Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi signed an order on Thursday allowing ships to pass through the New Suez Canal.
The $8.5 billion project involved the dredging of an adjacent waterway that now allows vessels to pass each other through most of the canal, cutting transit times (18 hours to 11 hours for southbound traffic) and theoretically allowing more ships through the canal.
The expansion was opened during a huge inauguration ceremony put on by al-Sisi on Thursday in Ismailia, Egypt. The New Suez Canal is being considered the centerpiece of al-Sisi’s plans to revitalize the country’s economy after years of political turmoil.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi waves from a boat on the “New Suez Canal”, August 6, 2015. REUTERS/The Egyptian Presidency/Handout
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) and Mohab Mameesh, chairman of the Suez Canal Authority. REUTERS/The Egyptian Presidency/Handout
A ship named “Long life Egypt” crosses the new section of the Suez Canal after the opening ceremony. Egypt staged a show of international support as it inaugurated the extension, which President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hopes will power an economic turnaround in the Arab world’s most populous country. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
Egyptian air force planes parade in front of a statue representing a man digging during the inauguration ceremony of the new Suez Canal, in Ismailia, Egypt, August 6, 2015. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
The containership Thalassa Avra crosses the new section of the Suez Canal after the opening ceremony. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
China’s widening trade surplus with the European Union is fueling fresh concerns that the 27-nation bloc risks becoming a dumping ground for cheap goods in the volatile tariff confrontation between Washington and Beijing.
(Bloomberg) — The biggest labor union at South Africa’s state-owned port and rail company are starting final talks with a third-party arbitrator to resolve a wage dispute and stave off...
The US and China will temporarily lower tariffs on each other’s products in a dramatic ratcheting down of trade tensions that buys the world’s two largest economies three months to work toward a broader agreement.
May 12, 2025
Total Views: 635
Get The Industry’s Go-To News
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
— just like 109,110 professionals
Secure Your Spot
on the gCaptain Crew
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
— trusted by our 109,110 members
Your Gateway to the Maritime World!
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.