Egypt is giving a message of hope to its people with launching the new Suez Canal project, Petroleum Minister Sherif Ismail said.

In a statement, the minister said the record time the project was completed within is a pure national accomplishment for Egypt's leadership and people.

Sherif said the petroleum sector has contributed to the project by providing the fuel needed to operate equipment used in digging works at the canal of nearly 3,000 tons of diesel fuel and 1,000 tons of mazut daily.

Also, Petrojet company was a contractor in digging works at the canal's southern sector and did exactly what was required from it in a record time with the latest equipment and removed more than 11 million cubic meters of sand in just four months, he said in a statement.

The company also participated in digging two tunnels for vehicles and one for trains beneath the canal in northern Ismailia, he added.

The tunnels are part of a larger plan to build six new tunnels for vehicles and trains under the Suez Canal in Port Said and Ismailia to develop the region and surrounding cities and link Nile Delta governorates with Sinai, he added.

The new canal project will give momentum to the national economy and achieve a quantum leap through transforming the Canal region into an internationally-effective economic, logistic and commercial center, the minister said.

The petroleum sector has a number of new oil refining and petrochemical projects for the economic zone in south of the Suez Canal, he added.

The sector aims to increase Egypt's share in the trade related to fueling and serving vessels, he said.
Source: MENA