PRESS RELEASE
Egypt Inaugurates New Canal at East Port Said
Feb. 27 2016 (EIRNS)—On Feb. 24 Egypt inaugurated a new canal, the East Port Said Canal, which is a short links between the Mediterranean and East Port Said, which is a container terminal opposite Port Said on the Mediterranean at the mouth of the Suez Canal. Vice Adm. Mohab Mamish, head of Suez Canal Authority led the official ceremony reported Daily News Egypt.
East Port Said Canal lies at the northern entrance of the Suez Canal in the Mediterranean has a length of 9.5km and a depth of 18.5m. Costing $37 million, the project required the dredging of around 12.5 million cubic meters of sand, inserting of buoys and navigational signs. The dredging of the canal was begun in November and was completed within three months instead of seven and involved also cooperation between Belgium’s Dredging International and U.S.-based Great Lakes Corp.. The canal will enable ships to enter the port without obstructing through traffic on the Suez Canal itself.
"Developing the port will attract more ships to the port, as well as attract navigation lines, increase traffic and trade transiting the canal,"
said Prime Minister Sherif Ismail reported state-run Nile TV.
The East Port Said canal and Port are part of the Suez Canal region economic development plans, covering development of six ports: Sukhna, Adabeyia, El Tour, East Port Said port navigational channel, and West Port Said ports, in addition to El Arish port.
The new canal, which is 9.5 km long, links the East Port Said Harbor with the northern entrance of the Suez Canal at the Mediterranean. It was constructed to provide direct access to the harbor without hindering traffic along the Suez Canal. Vice Adm. Mohab Mamish said that East Port Said Canal project will double the capacity of East Port Said harbor and turn it into an important hub in eastern the Mediterranean region.
