Mohab Mamish, the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, stated that 86% of dry digging in the new canal has been completed, explaining that there is no influence on navigation at the Suez Canal.
Mamish added that Houthis threats in Yemen to close the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb will not affect navigation in the Suez Canal, pointing out that the Canal was not affected by political events over the past years.
He explained that the Canal has achieved the highest rates during the year 2014-2015, in spite of the circumstances through which the country was undergoing.
About the project
The New Suez Canal dredging project, one of the largest in recent history, is estimated to be worth over $2 billion.
The project includes digging of 35km of a new waterway parallel to the existing one to a depth of 24m and width of 317m, so that the new Canal can accommodate vessels with up to 66 ft. draught.
Some of the world’s top dredging companies are taking part in the New Suez Canal Project that is designed to enlarge the transit capacity and to increase industrial activity in the area.
Included in the project are Boskalis, Van Oord, National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC), Jan de Nul, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) and Dredging International NV.