A giant car carrier operated by Chinese electric vehicle titan BYD completed its maiden transit through Egypt's Suez Canal on Tuesday, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement. The BYD XI'AN, one of the world's largest vehicle carriers, passed through the canal's southern convoy en route from Singapore to Italy. The 219-metre-long vessel, carrying 7,000 electric vehicles out of a maximum capacity of 9,442, is the second BYD ship to sail the route following BYD HEFEI's passage in late June. This marks the second BYD carrier to cross the Suez Canal, following the BYD HEFEI's passage on June 27, according to SCA Chairman Osama Rabie. He added that BYD is expected to increase the frequency of its sailings through the canal in the coming months. Despite ongoing disruptions to global shipping routes due to regional tensions in the Red Sea, the SCA is seeing a rebound in vehicle carrier traffic, Rabie said. He pointed to additional crossings by vessels linked to COSCO and Neptune Lines, as well as the United Global Ro-Ro service, which connects the Far East with Mediterranean and Northwest European ports. The canal remains the shortest and most cost-effective route for East-West maritime trade, said Captain Rizwan Kapadi, commander of the BYD XI'AN. "Compared to the Cape of Good Hope, the Suez Canal saves time, distance, and offers higher levels of maritime safety," he added. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
