Ancient Egyptian historical landmarks are not the only thing that Egypt has to offer. They also have the Suez Canal which is still actively taking part in today’s world trade route. This canal is essential for all traders worldwide, as it’s the main gateway to enter Europe.
Even though it’s a known landmark that actively uses to this day, not everyone knows about this canal. Many people still think that Suez is in South America or confuse it with the Panama canal.
The history behind the Suez Canal construction
The history of this canal started during the ancient civilization period. Many records state ancient Egyptians already used the canal since the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt. They build a channel to connect the river Nile to the red sea.
Each civilization that occupied Egypt attempted to build a canal. But the one responsible for building the connection to the Mediterranean sea was the Ottoman Empire. They aimed for a direct line for pilgrimage and expand their trading route to India.
Napoleon Bonaparte discovered the ancient canal during his Egypt conquest in the 1700s. In 1859, Ferdinand de Lesseps started building the modern channel as everyone knows it today.
Why Is it Important?
The primary function of this channel is to connect Europe and Asia content through Egypt. Before the canal operates, merchants and travelers had to circumvent the African continent and passed the Cape of Good Hope. This alternative route can double the time and expenses merchants have to pay. In turn, this will affect the prices of goods and services in general.
In 1888, all countries involved in the Convention of Constantinople declared the canal a Neutral zone. This means it has to be open for all countries both during war and peacetime. And since it’s in the Sinai Peninsula that separates Asia, Africa, and the European continent, the channel is a major transportation route. Anyone who has visited the canal can see vessels of various sizes and types crossing the waterway to and from Europe or Asia.
Which Country Owns the Canal?
Initially, the Suez Canal Company was a British and French-operated establishment. They received their permission to build and operate the canal for 99 years from the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan. But in 1956, then Egypt President, Gamal Abdul-Nasser nationalized the company and triggered the Suez Crisis.
The outcome of this crisis was the first deployment of a United Nation Peacekeeping force. Henceforth, a state-owned authority oversees and maintains the canal’s operation. Thus legally, the Egypt government owns the channel.
Have they ever closed the canal?
The Egypt government closed the canal a couple of times. Primarily during the Arab – Israeli wars in 1956 and 1967. Israel invaded the Sinai peninsula with backup from Britain and France. The Egypt troops closed the canal by sinking several ships. This second Arab-Israeli war resulted in a ceasefire after a year of the war.
In 1967, the Egypt government closed the canal for a week following the start of the third Arab – Israeli war. And they closed the channel for eight years since the canal sees a lot of debris from war.
Another occurrence happened in 2021 when the world’s largest container ship blocked the canal path. The Ever Given experienced this difficulty when the wind pushed her off the original path. This caused almost 400 ships to queue to pass the channel. Most economists estimated the disruption to cost more than US$ 10 billion. The authority had to stop the canal operation to re-float the Ever Given and put her on the correct path. This effort took close to four days, with another three days for the canal inspection.
The Suez authority added another expansion on the route not long after. But after the expansion was complete, another vessel also went off-path on the same route. The difference is, this incident only halted the channel’s traffic for 15 minutes before other vessels could pass through.
Is the Canal Safe to pass?
The channel oversees millions of ships passing every year. And in 2014, the Egypt government built an expansion to the Ballah bypass. This expansion ensures two ships pass through the canal simultaneously. The mega project cost almost US$9 Billion and was ready for use in 2015.
Every day, about $3 billion worth of cargo crosses the channel. The surrounding countries also uphold the treaty to keep peace in the area. The Egypt government also continues expanding the canal to help vessels to pass safely through the channel.
How to visit the canal?
The artificial waterway ensures that all sizes of ships can pass through without any issues. It includes cruise ships, aircraft carriers, and numerous cargo ships. Tourists can visit the canal to watch from afar or join a cruise ship and experience passing through the 120 miles of waterway. If they choose to go on a cruise ship, they can see containers and various ships. Generally, a cruise ship takes about 12 hours to cross the canal. Mainly this includes the time they transit on several ports.
Visitors who enjoy unique experiences may opt for a different type of exploration and choose a smaller boat. But due to safety reasons, they may not be on the main waterway and only have a limited time.
How far are the pyramids from the canal?
Visitors can drive directly from Cairo to Suez. It only takes a little over two hours for a land ride. They can join a tour package that includes a visit to Suez and exploring the surrounding area. They also can opt for a day tour that includes a visit to the canal.
Many tour packages offer Egypt exploration without visiting Suez Canal. Thankfully, tourists can contact Exodus Travel at exodustravel.net to arrange the best tour and cruise packages. Exodus has numerous high-rated tour packages covering all across Egypt continent. They also can tailor a tour that fits their needs. Whether it’s for family, a group of friends, or a romantic getaway, Exodus Travel will provide the best service.
Read more: 5 Fun Facts of Suez Canal That Blow Your Mind