Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail inaugurated on Wednesday evening the East Port Said side channel, which allows ships direct entry to the port 24 hours a day.
In a celebratory event held on the bank of the new side, Ismail launched the East Port Said side channel as three ships navigated through the channel.
The CEO of Suez Canal Authority Mohab Mamish made opening remarks for the event, which was attended by a number of ministers and foreign ambassadors.
The new channel, dredged at a total cost of $37 million, stretches over 9.5 km, is 12.5 metres deep, and 250 metres wide.
The project was partially financed by the Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT), which is 55 percent owned by Maersk Group.
The channel is part of an ambitious mega project aimed at establishing an international economic zone along the Suez Canal.
In August, Egypt inaugurated the expansion of the Suez canal – that was extended by over 35-km -- which aims to cut the waiting period for vessels by seven hours, and more than double annual revenues from $5.3 billion in 2014 to $13.23 billion in 2023.
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