Suez Canal revenues have dropped by four percent during the first half of 2013, canal authorities said on Thursday.
The canal brought revenues worth US$2.436 billion from January 2013 to June 2013, down from US$2.539 billion during the same period in 2012.
The Suez Canal is a major source of national income, as it contributes ten percent of the country's total hard currency a year.
During the first half of 2013, the number of ships passing through the canal dropped by 6.6 percent, from 8,574 to 8,012, compared to the previous year, according to canal authorities.
The amount of cargo transported also fell by 3.6 percent, from 443.292 million tons to 459.792 million tons.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
