Shipping through Egypt's Suez Canal was proceeding as normal on Saturday, an official from the canal authority said after violence flared in cities along its course in the past two days. "Shipping movement through the Suez Canal is regular and is going ahead positively," canal spokesman Tarek Hassanein told Reuters, adding 44 ships had entered the canal so far on Saturday. Violence flared on Friday and Saturday in Port Said, Ismailia and Suez, all cities that run along the canal. The canal is a vital international trade route and major source of revenue for Egypt.