Suez Canal Access Channel opens to Med, CMA CGM Racine first through
Time：2016-02-29
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The 6,540-TEU CMA CGM Racine was the first ship through during the opening ceremony.
The channel eliminates the need for vessels heading to the Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT) to wait 6-8 hours between vessel convoys transiting the canal.
This means that the channel, dredged to a depth of 18.5 metres (61 feet), can provide ships of 18,000 TEU plus.
Attending the opening ceremony at SCCT were Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail; Suez Canal Authority chairman Mohab Mamish and the Governor of Port Said, Adel El Ghadban to witness the opening of the US$40 million project.
"I would like to express both my appreciation and my admiration of Admiral Mamish, the Suez Canal Authority and the Government of Egypt for their inspiring dedication to this historic infrastructure investment," said SCCT director Jan Buijze.