Egypt's Suez Canal Container Terminal is boosting annual throughput capacity to 5.4 million TEU as a direct result of expanding the key waterway for world trade, with the expansion of the main APM Terminal by adding four super postpanamax cranes at a cost of US$42 million and scheduled for delivery in mid-2016.

The new cranes will raise the total number of cranes at the SCCT facility to 24, making it the busiest terminal in the Mediterranean region, surpassing the APM Terminals Algeciras that handled 3.5 million TEU in 2014, Seatrade Maritime News reported.

The new 52-metre high ship to shore cranes will have a reach of 72 metres, allowing them to handle containerships of up to 18,000 TEU.

"The expanded Suez Canal will play an even greater role as a gateway of global trade," said APMT chief operations officer Jeff De Best.

"The canal expansion, completed in just one year, is a great achievement for the people of Egypt, and we are hopeful that the planned construction of more infrastructure projects will enable even faster canal cargo volume growth and economic progress."