Cairo, Apr 17 (AP) Egypt's revenue from the Suez Canal plunged by almost two thirds last year, officials said Wednesday, attributing the sharp drop to regional tensions and wars in the Middle East that have impacted traffic through the key waterway.

The canal is a major source of foreign currency for the Egyptian government, with about 10 per cent of world trade flowing through the waterway in recent years.

The Suez Canal Authority, which runs the waterway, said the canal generated an annual revenue of USD 3.991 billion in 2024, down from a historic high of USD 10.25 billion in 2023, according to a statement posted on its Facebook page.

Canal traffic has been significantly disrupted after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels started to threaten maritime trade and targeting vessels heading to Israel through the Suez Canal to pressure Israel to stop the war in Gaza, which started on October 7, 2023.

Between November 2023 and January 2024, the Houthis targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two ships and killing four sailors. The rebels insisted the attacks would continue as long as the wars go on and have devastated shipping through the region.

According to the Egyptian canal authority, only 13,213 ships passed through the canal in 2024, marking a 50 per cent decline compared to the number of ships in 2023, when over 26,000 ships passed through.

Still, canal authority chief Osama Rabie said that the attacks challenge the region but have not prevented Egypt from continuing to provide its navigational and maritime services in the Suez.

The International Monetary Fund reported in March 2024 that the Suez Canal trade dropped by 50 per cent in the first two months of that year, compared to the previous year, citing attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi's government in 2015 completed a significant expansion of the Suez Canal, adding a second shipping lane and allowing it to handle some of the world's largest vessels.

The canal, which connects the Mediterranean and the Red seas, was opened in 1869. It serves as a vital artery for global trade — a crucial link for oil, natural gas and cargo. The canal authority operates a system of convoys, consisting of one northbound and one southbound per day. (AP) GRS GRS

Suez Canal revenue decline linked to maritime security threats has sharply reduced ship transits and strained foreign exchange receipts. Significant decline in Suez Canal revenue and vessel transits in 2024 was attributed to sustained maritime security threats that disrupted merchant shipping and reduced canal trade; the canal authority reported a steep fall in annual receipts and emphasised continuation of navigational services and existing convoy operations despite the security challenges.