Suez Canal's New Stretch: A Milestone in Maritime Navigation

The new stretch of the Suez Canal near Egypt's Little Bitter Lake will be operational this year. The canal's length is extended by 10 km, enhancing shipping from Asia to Europe. This follows the Ever Given incident and aims to boost maritime efficiency despite Houthi threats.

The Suez Canal near Egypt's Little Bitter Lake is set to become operational in the first quarter of the year, as announced by the canal authority's chairman, Osama Rabie, on Tuesday.

Rabie also revealed that the navy would update navigational maps to include the new 10-km extension. Despite a revenue drop due to Houthi attacks, Egypt successfully tested the new stretch near the canal's southern end.

The latest expansion now extends the canal's two-way section to 82 km, from its previous 72 km. The vital waterway facilitates the shipping of one-third of global container cargo between Asia and Europe.

(With inputs from agencies.)