Egypt has finished testing a new channel extension for the Suez Canal

Despite a sharp decline in its revenue from the waterway since Yemen’s Houthi terrorists started assaulting ships in the Red Sea, Egypt announced on Saturday that it had successfully tested a new 10-kilometer tunnel close to the southern end of the Suez Canal.

In a statement, the Suez Canal Authority reported that two ships successfully navigated a new two-way section of the canal during a test run.

Egypt expedited plans to enlarge the existing canal and add a second channel in the southern portions after the container ship Ever Given grounded in 2021, blocking the crucial waterway for six days.

However, since Yemen’s Houthi militants started assaulting ships in the Red Sea in November 2023 in what they claim is solidarity with Palestinian militants in Gaza, its earnings from the waterway—which serves as the entry point to the quickest route between Europe and Asia—has plummeted.

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the president of Egypt, stated on Thursday that the country had lost about $7 billion in revenue from the Suez Canal in 2024, more than 60% less than in 2023, with “regional challenges” to blame.

The Suez Canal Authority reports that the most recent enlargement increases the two-way segment of the canal’s overall length from 72 km to 82 km. The entire length of the canal is 193 kilometers.

According to the Suez Canal Authority’s announcement, “this expansion will boost the canal’s capacity by an additional 6 to 8 ships daily and enhance its ability to handle potential emergencies.”

Egypt stated earlier this year that it was thinking about a separate expansion project in addition to the 10 km channel extension.