On Thursday, Transport Minister Ibrahim al-Demeiry decided to resume the ferry lines between Suez and Saudi ports after a hiatus of eight years since the infamous sinking of the Al-Salam 98 ferry in February 2006.
Demeiry invited Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb to inaugurate the launch in a celebration next month.
Demeiry’s maritime advisor, Ibrahim Yousef, said the decision aims to revive Suez in terms of commerce and tourism, especially that it is one of the most important ports on the Red Sea.
Hassan Falah, head of the Red Sea Ports Authority, said Suez was the main port for the departure of Egyptian pilgrims to Mecca.
“Ferry owners had stopped the lines because the trip is costly, since it is more than 600 miles,” he added.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
