Suez Canal Authority Declares Canal is Secure and Unaffected

Protesters, who are against Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, gather in Tahrir Square in Cairo July 3, 2013. Egyptian troops with armoured vehicles have secured the central Cairo studios of state television on Wednesday, security sources said.. REUTERS/Steve Crisp

CAIRO, July 3 (Reuters) – The Suez Canal waterway is completely secure and the rate of ships passing through is normal, the head of the Suez Canal Authority Mohab Memish said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The average number of passing ships in term of quantity and cargo is in the normal range and has not been affected by any events,” he said.

Egypt has been facing mass demonstrations since June 30 by opposition calling for the resignation of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi and his supporters which resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.

In the last two days, 80 ships passed through the canal, the authority said, close to the daily average of 40 to 50 vessels. (Reporting by Asma Alsharif; Editing by Paul Taylor)

(c) 2013 Thomson Reuters, Click For Restrictions

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