Egypt began on Saturday the first trial run of its “new Suez canal,” officials and state media said, ahead of the formal inauguration of the new shipping route next month.
Dubbed the Suez Canal Axis, the new 72-kilometre project is aimed at speeding up traffic along the existing waterway by reducing the waiting period of vessels, as well as boosting revenues for Egypt.
It will run part of the way along the existing canal that connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.
“The first trial run for ships passing through the new Suez Canal started today,” state news agency MENA reported.
Officials said six vessels in two fleets of three each <g data-gr-id="15">were</g> scheduled to cross through the expanded canal as part of the first trial run.