Suez Canal: A Waterway that Divides Nations and Unites Ships

The Suez Canal, also known as the “Big Ditch,” is a man-made waterway located in Egypt that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. It was built in the mid-19th century as a shortcut for ships traveling between Europe and Asia, and has since become a vital navigational route for the global shipping industry.

At over 100 miles long, the Suez Canal is a sight to behold. It’s not every day you get to see a ditch that could swallow the Titanic whole. But despite its impressive size, the canal has its fair share of problems. For one, it’s always hot in Egypt. Sweating profusely on deck while stuck in a traffic jam of container ships is not an experience any sailor dreams of.

Another issue to consider is the political unrest in the region. Over the years, numerous conflicts have arisen over control of the canal. In fact, the canal has been closed a handful of times due to conflicts such as wars and territorial disputes.

But let’s not forget the true difficulty of navigating this canal: avoiding hitting other ships. With so many ships squeezed into such a small space, it’s like playing a life-size game of Tetris with actual boats. One wrong move, and a captain could inadvertently create a floating Jenga tower.

It’s not just passing ships that pose a challenge either, the canal is also home to some unique aquatic wildlife. You don’t want to be the captain who accidentally bumps into a family of crocodiles sunning themselves on the bank.

Despite these challenges, the Suez Canal is an essential part of global trade. Every year, thousands of ships pass through, carrying millions of tons of goods. Without the canal, we’d be forced to take the long way around the southern tip of Africa, which would add weeks to travel times and increase shipping costs by a factor of ten.

So, year after year, we send our ships through the “Big Ditch,” hoping that they’ll make it out the other end in one piece. And for the most part, they do. Because when it comes to the Suez Canal, the alternative of shipping goods by land is just plain un-can-al-able.