STORY: Egypt monitoring Red Sea tension as ships avoid Suez Canal
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 16, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 18, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:08
LOCATION: Cairo
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the statement published on the SCA official page on Facebook
2. various of the SCA Chairman Osama Rabie
3. various of vessels passing through the Suez Canal

STORYLINE:

Egypt's Suez Canal Authority (SCA) announced Sunday it was closely monitoring the impacts of military tensions in the Red Sea, following major carriers taking alternative routes due to safety concerns.
   
The SCA Chairman Osama Rabie said in a statement that maritime traffic was normal in the canal connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. He added that the SCA was closely evaluating the impact of certain shipping lines temporarily shifting their routes to the Cape of Good Hope.
   
In recent days, at least four major freight firms said to reduce or suspend passage through the Red Sea due to repeated attacks from Yemen's Houthi militia on commercial vessels in the area since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Oct. 7.
   
Rabie said only 55 ships have rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope route since Nov. 19, compared with the passage of 2,128 ships through the Suez Canal during the period.
   
He added that 77 ships crossed the Suez Canal on Sunday, including some ships belonging to shipping lines that announced the temporary diversion.
   
Rabie affirmed that the Suez Canal would remain the fastest and shortest route for vessels transiting between Asia and Europe, as time saved in sailing could range from nine days to two weeks, depending on ports of departure and arrival.
   
The Suez Canal, which carries 12 percent of global trade, serves as one of Egypt's main sources of foreign currency.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Cairo.
(XHTV)