Egypt holds trial run on second Suez Canal

The first cargo ships have passed through Egypt’s second Suez Canal, amid tight security, ahead of the new waterway’s official opening next month. Construction on the new lane, which runs alongside part of the existing canal, started less than a year ago. The 72km (44 mile) route allows two-way traffic and can accommodate larger vessels. […]

The first cargo ships have passed through Egypt’s second Suez Canal, amid tight security, ahead of the new waterway’s official opening next month. Construction on the new lane, which runs alongside part of the existing canal, started less than a year ago. The 72km (44 mile) route allows two-way traffic and can accommodate larger vessels.
Several container ships from around the world navigated it on Saturday as part of a trial run.
The Sinai Peninsula, which borders the canal, is a base for Islamic militants, who have killed hundreds of people since the military overthrew President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.
The original Suez Canal opened almost 150 years ago and links the Mediterranean with the Red Sea.