The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) is expecting to hear back from Maersk, MSC and CMA shipping firms next week about its proposal to give discounts on fees for using the waterway if they are paid in advance, its Chairman Mohab Mameesh told reporters on Wednesday. "Every company has to make a meeting for the board and to discuss with the lawyers and the finance team before it passes", he said. Last week, the SCA had proposed offering ships passing through the canal a discount of 3-5% on fees if they paid three and five years in advance, respectively, with the aim of introducing the system early next year. "We need the hard currency in advance and I think many navigation lines are thinking about it," Mameesh added. (Reuters)