Biggest cruise ship in the world crosses Egypt’s Suez Canal
The world’s largest passenger ship crossed the Suez Canal on Friday, paying crossing fees of $964,000, the Suez Canal Authority announced.
According to a statement by the body, the Spectrum of the Seas crossed the canal from north to south during its maiden voyage, with the next stop to be Jordan’s Aqaba port.
The ship, operated by Royal Caribbean International, is 347.1 metres long, with an approximate gross tonnage of 170,000 and a passenger capacity of around 4,200 to 4,800.
The ship is currently carrying around 3,700 passengers and 1,700 crew members.
The passenger ship began its voyage in Germany on 10 April, docking in several Mediterranean ports before traversing the Canal; its final destination is China’s Shanghai, scheduled for 31 May.
Thirty-seven other giant ships crossed the Suez Canal on Friday in both directions, with a total cargo of 3.4 million tonnes, the authority said.
Revenues from the canal were $4.3 billion from July 2018 to March 2019, a 3.7 percent increase over the corresponding period the previous year.
Earlier this month, the head of the authority said it is aiming to increase the Suez Canal’s revenues by $1 billion, without specifying the timeframe.
Source: Ahram Online
