Wednesday, 3rd April 2019
The Suez Canal is a sea-level waterway connecting the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Constructed by the Suez Canal Company between 1859 and 1869, it was officially opened on 17 November 1869. The canal offers a more direct route between the North Atlantic and the Indian Ocean via the Mediterranean and Red Seas, reducing the journey distance from the Arabian Sea to, for example, London by approximately 8,900 kilometres (5,500 mi). It extends from the northern terminus of Port Said to the southern terminus of Port Suez. Its length is 193.30 km (120.11 mi), including its northern and southern access channels. In 2012, 17,225 vessels traversed the canal (an average of 47 per day).
The original canal was a single-lane waterway with passing locations in the Ballah Bypass and the Great Bitter Lake. It contains no locks, with seawater flowing freely through it. In general, the canal north of the Bitter Lakes flows north in winter and south in summer. South of the lakes, the current changes with the tide at Suez.
In August 2014, construction was launched to expand and widen the Ballah Bypass for 35 km (22 mi) to speed the canal's transit time. The expansion was planned to double the capacity of the Suez Canal from 49 to 97 ships a day and opened with great fanfare in a ceremony on 6 August 2015.
This morning woke at about 7.30 all ready transiting the canal. Slow transit at only about 6 knots along with 3 cargo vessels plus the Costa Victoria. Passing through Little Bitter Lake at about 8 am. All the time more ships were joining the convoy final tally about 24 ships.
We were heading North along the new channel and passing a convoy of about 28 heading South in the old channel. The excavation of the new channel has left quite high spoil heaps along each side of the canal, somewhat restricting the views.
More a ship in the desert rather than a ship of the desert
There are occasional cuts between the 2 channels particular for the use of canal pilots.
Our luck continues as a few days ago a 55 knot wind blew through the canal which prevented any shipping transiting the canal. Dubai and Aqabi have also been closed recently due to the wind, we dodged all these problems.
The canal was begun in 1859 and work continued until 1862 whilst work stopped 1863 to 1866 then work continued again until 1869 when it opened. The canal expansion was planned for a 3 year project but completed in just 1 year, this allowed for additional 2 way traffic.
Memorial Statue to the Canal builders
The canal is contained within a military protected canal zone with fences guardposts and to ease passage for guards to cross the canal in case of trouble floating bridges are provided occasionally along its length.
However there were quite a few small fishing boats using the canal.
There is currently just one public tunnel under the canal, more being planned and there is the ‘Japan Friendship Bridge’ over the canal, sadly this has been closed for a number of years because of the fear of bomb attacks. There are however a few ferries crossing the canal.
Most of the evidence of occupation is on just one side of the canal with hardly anything on the Sinai side except for one new development. Notably toward Port Said there is much irrigated agricultural land.
The transit took about 10 hours before emerging into the Mediterranean. During our transit we were escorted the whole way with a tug, provided just in case to avoid the canal being blocked by any ship with problems. For part of the transit whilst near a highway we also had a police vehicle keeping pace with us.
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