Suez Canal transits under threat as violent unrest in Egypt worsens

EGYPT's President Mohamed Morsi has declared a 30-day state of emergency and imposed night-time curfews from 9pm - 6am hours in Port Said, Suez and Ismailia, to curb an upsurge of rioting left 50 dead and hundreds injured.

The clashes in Port Said involved demonstrators opposed to a court verdict that awarded death sentences to 21 men convicted of involvement in last year's football match riots that claimed 74 lives.

They coincided with the two-year anniversary revolution protests against the country's new rulers that were staged in the other cities, as the social and economic crisis worsens in the nation. The last time such emergency powers were invoked was by ousted president Hosni Mubarak.

London's Containerisation Internationals reported one group of protesters stormed the Port Said tourism gate with one member warning, "This is a message that we can break into the port and disable the Suez Canal." In 2012, the waterway handled 17,225 transits, including 6,332 containerships.

Port news from GAC said navigation in the Suez Canal is running normally, unaffected by the curfew. Transit registration formalities are being coordinated between the Suez Canal Authority and agents.

All husbandry services in Port Said are suspended until the security situation in the city permits safe and secure handling.

It added that husbandry services in Suez City can be arranged as usual, but will be partially affected as movements within the city will not be permitted during the curfew.