Traffic passing through the Suez Canal on Wednesday reached the second highest daily traffic recorded in the history of the canal, Suez Canal Authority Chairman Mohab Mamish announced, adding that 72 vessels with a total tonnage of 5.1 million tons crossed the canal in both directions on Wednesday. Thirty-three ships passed through the canal coming from the north with a total load of 2 million tons, while 39 ships coming from the south crossed with a total load of 3.1 million tons, Mamish added. Twelve giant vessels with cargo that exceeded 150,000 tons per ship crossed the canal on Wednesday, which was the first precedent of its kind, according to the chairman. Seven large ships carrying cargo that ranged between 100,000 to 150,000 tons per ship also crossed the canal on Wednesday. Suez Canal rates recorded at the beginning of the new year are promising and will positively reflect on the canal’s revenues, Mamish said, stressing the economic feasibility of the New Suez Canal project and its importance to the global trade movement.

Source: Egypt Independent January 02, 2019 12:22 UTC