Egypt controls fire in British container ship passing Suez Canal

Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority said it controlled a blaze in a British container ship passing the waterway Friday, leaving no human losses.

The British ship was 48 kilometres to the south of the canal when some containers aboard caught fire, Suez Canal Authority Chairman Mohab Mameesh said.

The canal’s authority sent five emergency response boats to contain the fire, Mameesh added.

Navigation in the canal was unaffected by the incident.

Egypt’s strategic waterway is one of the main sources of foreign currency revenue for the country.

A megaproject to dig a parallel canal is expected to be completed by August 2015 and to double canal revenue by 2023.
   [ahram.org.eg]
2/5/15
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