A record 68 vessels and container ships carrying 3.8 million tonnes have passed through the Suez Canal waterway on Saturday, said Mohab Mamish, head of the Suez Canal Authority.

"This is the highest number of ships and the biggest cargo to pass in one day since the beginning of the year; we were only able to reach those numbers because we provide reliable services and facilities to international cargo companies," Mamish explained.

Mamish added that Suez Canal revenues play an important role in boosting Egypt's foreign reserves and are, therefore, indispensable to the welfare of the country's economy.

The biggest container ships that passed through the waterway on Saturday were the Dutch 'Edith Maersk' carrying 171 thousand tonnes in Cargo, and the oil tanker 'Blue Topaz' transporting 164 thousand tonnes.

The Suez Canal recorded $405 million in revenues in January 2013, a 9.1 percent decline from January 2012, mainly due to the current state of political unrest in the country.

The waterway represents a vital source of foreign currency in Egypt, along with tourism, oil and gas exports, and remittances from Egyptians living abroad.