Effective immediately, the Suez Canal Authority requires all vessels aged 25 years or older to undergo inspections and trials before transiting the canal.
The checks are expected to add costs and could cause scheduling delays for operators of older ships. The authority has not disclosed the inspection fees or how long the process will take.
Shipping agents and vessel owners will need to account for the checks in voyage planning. The rule comes as the global merchant fleet includes a significant and growing number of aging vessels.