Climate Change Effects on the Suez Canal Area After the Completion of the New Development Project

摘要

Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows transportation by water between Europe and Asia without navigation around Africa. When first built, the canal was 164 km long and 8 m deep. After multiple enlargements, the canal is 193.30 km long, 24 m deep and 205 meters wide as of 2010. It consists of the northern access channel of 22 km, the canal itself of 162.25 km and the southern access channel of 9 km. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA), established on July 26, 1956 reports to the Prime Minister of Egypt. It has all the authorities needed for running the Canal, without being limited by the laws and other systems of the government. The SCA manages, operates, uses, maintains and improves the Suez Canal. The New Suez Canal is the name of an artificial waterway project in Egypt, which created a second shipping lane along part of the Suez Canal. Other parts of the Suez Canal were deepened and widened. The project was inaugurated on 5 August 2014. The new canal has increased the canal capacity by allowing ships to sail in both directions at the same time for a greater proportion of the canal. The project transformed the canal cities into an important global trading center. Beginning on 6 August 2015, it also built new centers on the Suez Canal for logistic and ship services. This paper presents the effects of climate change on Suez Canal, impacts and implications of climate change, and the state of oil pollution and management in Suez Gulf. Also included are the meteorological conditions and the oceanographic conditions of the region.