Two container ships collided near the northern mouth of the Suez Canal, causing delays to traffic traveling through one of the world's busiest trade routes, officials at the Suez Canal Authority said Monday.

The German-flagged MV Colombo Express and the Singaporean-flagged MV Maersk Tanjong collided after one of the vessels experienced technical problems with its rudder, the officials said. The collision didn't result in any casualties, but it sent four containers tumbling from the Colombo Express into the sea, and the vessel...