Suez Canal Authority completes trial run of new Suez Canal channel extension

Suez Canal Expansion Project Successfully Tested in Small Bitter Lakes

In a significant development for global maritime trade, Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), announced the successful trial operation of the Suez Canal's expansion project in the Small Bitter Lakes. This trial marks a crucial milestone in the southern sector development project, which aims to enhance the canal's navigation capabilities.

The trial operation saw the passage of two vessels, the bulk carrier "Fu xing hai", and the vessel "Suvari bey", through the newly expanded route in the Small Bitter Lakes. This follows the completion of dredging works between kilometers 122 and 132 in the Suez Canal's numbering system. Simultaneously, four other ships, including the container ship "Mathilde schulte", the multi-purpose vessel "Cosco shipping teng da", the bulk carrier "Yangtze alpha", and the vessel "Rui fu cheng", navigated through the original canal's eastern side.

Admiral Osama Rabie emphasized that the SCA had implemented several measures to ensure the trial's success. These included equipping the new channel with buoys and necessary navigational aids, deploying two escort tugboats for maritime security, and assigning a team of skilled canal pilots to guide vessels through the expanded section. The pilots underwent rigorous training at the Maritime Training Academy, where they practiced safe passage maneuvers.

The southern sector development project is expected to bring a qualitative leap in navigation safety by reducing the impact of water and air currents on vessels. The expansion in the Small Bitter Lakes will add 10 kilometers to the new Suez Canal, increasing its total length from 72 to 82 kilometers. This extension is projected to boost the canal's daily capacity by 6 to 8 ships and improve its ability to handle emergencies.To support the expansion, the SCA has coordinated with the Egyptian Navy's Marine Survey Division to update navigational charts, incorporating the new 10-kilometer double section between kilometers 122 and 132. The actual operation of the expanded area will commence once the updated charts are released.

This expansion comes at a critical time for the Suez Canal, which has faced significant challenges in recent months. The grounding of the Panama-flagged "Mv ever given" in 2021 highlighted the need for improved navigation infrastructure. Additionally, the canal has experienced a 50% decline in revenues due to the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and disruptions in Red Sea navigation caused by Houthi attacks on Israeli, US, and UK vessels.