After less than a year of construction to expand the Suez Canal, the first cargo ships have sailed through the canal in a test run, amid tight security.
According to the BBC, several ships were escorted by naval vessels and helicopters as part of the security operation on Saturday July 25, 2015.
In a previous article, PTI reported on a terror threat that had raised security alerts at the Suez Canal. 13 members of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested on suspicion of planting bombs along the canal’s waterway, which is among the chief factors for the intense security during the tests.
The Suez Canal project has clashed with various critics who say that revenue projections are not realistic.
Angus Blair, a Cairo-based Investment Analyst, said: “It's a patriotic project first of all, and that's very difficult to quantify.”
The project is anticipated to generate around US$13 billion in revenue per year, in contrast to the US$5 billion it currently makes annually.
The two-way waterway, which will be capable of servicing some of the world’s largest ships, is expected to open in August, 2015.
(Source: iStock)
