Egypt approved the expansion plan of Suez Canal, and the southern channel can pass in both directions

According to Egyptian "pyramid" reported on May 11, Egyptian President Cecil approved the Suez Canal Authority's plan to widen the southern section of the Suez Canal, which is expected to be completed within two years.

According to reports, the chairman of the Saixi and Suez Canal administration, Usama Rabiye, attended the delivery ceremony of several projects in Ismailia Province in northeast Egypt on the same day. Saixi said at the ceremony that the blockage of the Suez canal caused by the stranding of a cargo ship in March this year highlighted the importance of widening the channel of the southern section of the Suez Canal.

According to Rabiye, the widening plan mainly covers Suez city in the south of Suez Canal and about 30km channel from Great Bitter Lake. On this basis, it is widened by 40m, and the maximum depth is deepened from about 20m to about 22m. After the completion of the plan, the channel of the southern section of the Suez Canal will have two-way traffic capacity and improve the traffic efficiency of the canal.

Suez Canal is located at the junction of Europe, Asia and Africa, connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the most important channel for Asia Europe trade.

On March 23 this year, the 20000 TEU Container Ship "Changci" ran aground on the one-way channel in the south of the Suez Canal, causing the Suez Canal to be blocked in both directions. After nearly seven days of rescue, the "Changci" ship broke off on March 29, but caused a big congestion in Asia Europe routes and a huge impact on Global trade.

Shortly after that, a number of ships ran aground on the Suez Canal, but fortunately it did not cause serious impact.

The Suez Canal was built in 1859 and completed in 1869. The water surface width of the canal ranges from 345 meters to 280 meters, while the waterway for navigation is narrower, with an average width of 130 meters.

The Suez Canal was last expanded in 2015, including the excavation of 35 km of new river channel and the widening and deepening of 37 km of existing river channel. After the expansion, part of the channel of the Suez Canal became two-way, but the southern part of the Great Canal was still one-way. Successive accidents also exposed the risk of one-way traffic.

Previously, the Suez Canal Authority also purchased a large cutter suction dredger "mohab mameesh", with a maximum excavation depth of 35 meters, a maximum sludge discharge distance of 4 kilometers, a power of 29000 kilowatts and an operation efficiency of 3600 cubic meters per hour. This is also the largest dredger in the Suez Canal waterway.

Egyptian President hossei approved the widening plan for the southern section of the Suez Canal submitted by the Suez Canal Authority on the same day. The plan is expected to be completed within two years.

According to reports, the chairman of the Saixi and Suez Canal administration, Usama Rabiye, attended the delivery ceremony of several projects in Ismailia Province in northeast Egypt on the same day. Saixi said at the ceremony that the cargo ship grounding accident in March this year highlighted the importance of widening the channel of the southern section of the Suez Canal.

Labier said that the plan mainly covers about 30 kilometers of waterway from Suez city to the Great Bitter Lake section of the Suez Canal, which will be widened by 40 meters on the previous basis, and the maximum depth will be deepened from about 20 meters to about 22 meters. After the completion of the plan, the channel of the southern section of the Suez Canal will have two-way traffic capacity and improve the traffic efficiency of the canal.

On March 23, the heavy cargo ship "Changci" flying the Panamanian flag ran aground in the new channel of the Suez Canal, causing channel blockage. After several consecutive days of rescue, the grounded freighter successfully floated on March 29. In April, the first large cutter suction dredger purchased by Suez Canal Authority was delivered to broaden the channel of the southern section of the canal.

Suez Canal is located at the junction of Europe, Asia and Africa, connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The canal revenue is one of the main sources of Egypt's national fiscal revenue and foreign exchange reserves.

Reprinted from China Logistics Network