Canal bonanza could benefit shipping

摘要

Several canal infrastructure projects are in the offing which could have a large impact on possible ship design and routeing. Firstly Egypt is planning a second Suez Canal which would allow vessels to pass each other en route. At 72km, the new channel would be parallel to the first, with the Suez Canal Authority reporting that the project would involve 35km of 'dry digging' and 37km of 'expansion and deepening'. This indicates the current Suez Canal, which is 163 km long, could be widened as part of the project too. Costs of US$4bn have been suggested, with a timeline of between three and five years for completion.