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Ship stuck in the Suez Canal
- Thread starter Omega Man
- Start date
detbmw
Active member
It's always been a bottleneck. In '88 I went through the Suez Canal (and the Panama Canal) as part of a Marine unit on a U.S. Navy ship, returning from the Persian Gulf. We had to wait a day because there is that stretch where northbound ships go through one day, and southbound ships go through the next. It is quite narrow, and amazing that this is the first time in over one hundred-fifty years that it has happened.
So, how does a tide (high or low) help in this case? A man-made canal with locks is designed to negate the effects of higher/lower water levels on either end. Am i thinking wrongly?
exgman
Active member
I found this bit of information:
'Is the Suez Canal tidal?
It contains no locks; seawater flows freely through it. In general, the canal north of the Bitter Lakes flows north in winter and south in summer. South of the lakes, the current changes with the tide at Suez. The canal is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) of Egypt".
Since this blocking vessel is toward the southern end of the canal, then perhaps a rising tide will help.
'Is the Suez Canal tidal?
It contains no locks; seawater flows freely through it. In general, the canal north of the Bitter Lakes flows north in winter and south in summer. South of the lakes, the current changes with the tide at Suez. The canal is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) of Egypt".
Since this blocking vessel is toward the southern end of the canal, then perhaps a rising tide will help.
May need Canal Freight for that
I wonder if the current is creating a vortex that is dropping sand on the down-stream side effectively lock the ship in place?
OM
Keep in mind that these container ships are relatively new, and getting bigger all the time. 50 years ago ships were tiny in comparison. But as narrow as the canal is it is surprising it doesn't happen with some regularity.
pglaves
#13338
No guard rails?
With all due regard the Suez Canal is a 120 mile long 19th century dirt ditch dug across the Egyptian desert. For many years it offered one-way traffic: northbound one day, south bound the next. I understand it has now been dug out a little wider in spots to accomplish what, I have no idea. Two-way traffic? Passing zones?
Last edited:
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
With all due regard the Suez Canal is a 120 mile long 19th century dirt ditch dug across the Egyptian desert. For many years it offered one-way traffic: northbound one day, south bound the next. I understand it has now been dug out a little wider in spots to accomplish what, I have no idea. Two-way traffic? Passing zones?
Widened to make it more difficult for the Egyptian and Israeli armies to cross it.
Subman
New member
All reports I've seen say they were blown off course; the effects of a crosswind on a large ship are impressive. Been there, done that driving ships. Ships like a carrier or one of these huge container ships present a huge sail area; think of what a crosswind wind does to an 18-wheeler on the highway, and multiply that force exponentially. And slowing down might seem like a good idea, except that the slower you go, the less effective the rudder becomes, until you eventually lose steerageway. In a tight channel like that if you need the help and don't have tugs made up (or close by), bad things can happen really fast.
exgman
Active member
Actually the highest tide in the series will be this coming Tuesday night just about midnight. See the chart here: https://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Suez-Egypt/tides/latest
