ABSTRACT
On November 17, 1869, the Suez Canal was formally opened to navigation, with a length of about 169 km and 194 km including the approach channel. As a main international sea transportation channel connecting the European, Asian and African continents, the Suez Canal is globally reputed as “sea transportation shortcut between the east and the west” and “world throat-cutting seaway channel”, and is praised by the Egyptian people as the main artery of Egyptian prosperity. By connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, the Suez Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, so as to greatly shorten the voyage between Europe and Asia. The Suez Canal is one of the world’s most important international channels. In terms of annual ship passage quantity and involved countries/areas, the Suez Canal occupies first position in the global canals. The freight volume of the Suez Canal accounts for 20% and 80% in the global and Eurasian total marine freight volume, respectively; and 22% of global containers passes through the Suez Canal, which involves about 10% of global trade. The Suez Canal is also one of the world’s most important petroleum transportation channels, and is known as the world’s throat of petroleum transportation together with other places (e.g. Hormuz Strait, Malacca Strait and Panama Canal), which offers a navigation for 25% of oil tankers. 1 Therefore, the Suez Canal occupies a crucial position in the world’s sea transportation trade.
