The Silk Odyssey
  • Blog
  • CHINA
  • TIBET
  • CENTRAL ASIA
  • IRAN
  • EGYPT
  • JORDAN
  • LEBANON
  • TURKEY
  • VISA'S & BORDER CROSSINGS
  • About

SUEZ CANAL - THE TRICONTINENTAL CROSSROADS

8/8/2015

11 Comments

 
Picture
The engineering marvel that is the Suez Canal.  View from the African side.

T plus 90 - Port Said

Its been almost exactly three months since I started my journey eastwards from Shanghai.  And although I never intended to come to Egypt as it's not really part of the Silk Road, a couple of miscalculations and logistical hiccups have serendipitously steered me into the African continent.  It is perhaps a fitting outcome, that after 90 days on the road I find myself at the junction of Europe, Africa and Asia.  Nowhere else in the world can you straddle two continents and be so close to another.  I suppose Istanbul comes close, but Africa is further away from Turkey than Europe is from Egypt.

This is a fascinating place, not because of any ancient architecture (there is none to speak of), but because of its fabulously storied past.  As you can imagine, a waterway facilitating sea trade between Europe and Asia would be a source of great interest, and even greater conflict.  But 4,000 years before all this, the Egyptian Pharaohs had already dug Version 1.0 of the canal linking the Red Sea and the Nile, and hence the Mediterranean Sea.  Darius I of the Archaemanid Empire expanded on the concept, linking Egypt and Persia by a naval route 2,500 years ago.  After a period of disuse, it was once again revived under the Islamic Caliphate of Omar the Great in the 7th century.

It wasn't until Napoleon's time in the 19th century that the canal's present route was contemplated.  But unfortunately, due to a calculation error indicating that the Mediterranean and Red Seas were of different altitudes, plans were prematurely scuttled.  In 1830, a British study indicated that the altitude difference was in fact negligible, but the British were resistant to the idea because they already locked-down a monopoly of Europe-India-East Asia naval routes.  An alternative passage would have jeopardised the trade dominance they enjoyed at the time.  So it fell to the French who spent 15 years planning and constructing the canal, finally declaring it open in 1869.  A French ship was supposed to inaugurate the canal by being the first to traverse it, but imagine their horror when a British ship was actually the first to sail through in the cover of the night!

The Brits then scored another coup when they purchased a massive stake in the canal after it ran into financial difficulties in 1875, and they gained full control in the 1882 occupation of Egypt, and successfully defended it during the first and second world wars.  They finally did (reluctantly) relinquish control when Egypt unilaterally nationalised the canal in 1956, and British-French-Israeli effort (some say conspiracy) to outmaneuver Egyptian President Nasser was thwarted by the United Nations.  The canal was often used as a channel for the crossing of troops during the Arab-Israeli wars in the 1960's and 1970's, and hence heavily mined.  It wasn't until 1975 when the canal was re-opened for global trade, this time firmly (and permanently) under Egyptian control.

Today, close to 10% of world trade passes through the Suez Canal, and it brings Egypt some USD5 billion in annual "toll" revenues.  Since its inception, it has irreversibly altered the course of international naval logistics, by shortening the Europe-Asia sea route by 7,000 miles or about 10 days-at-sea.  About 50 ships pass through the canal daily, and it really is quite something to see supertankers magically slide by, on this narrow strip of water, against a desert backdrop.  It's only about 200m wide for the majority of its length of 170km, so ships travel in single-file convoys.  Although when I visited, the Egyptian government had triumphantly announced the USD4 billion expansion of the canal, declaring a national holiday on the 6th of August.  They are calling it "Egypt's gift to the world".  I'm not so sure it's entirely correct to put it that way.  The average toll charge per vessel to traverse the canal is USD250,000.  A gift is a gift only if you don't pay for it.

Financials aside, there's an incredible amount of historical value here.  Initiated by the Pharaohs, expanded by the Persians and the Arabs, consummated by the French, first opposed then embraced then controlled by the British, occupied by the United Nations and finally coming back to the Egyptians in a roundabout 4,500-year full circle.  Was it worth the trip?  Definitely.  And here's a top tip - pedestrians cross the canal in a ferry-ride from Africa to Asia and back for free!  

Picture
The free-of-charge ferry which transports passengers across the canal at Port Said.

Picture
Picture
Bottom pic - Africa on the left, Asia on the right, Europe beyond the horizon.  
And a giant ship in the middle.


11 Comments
Dad link
9/8/2015 06:54:41 am

Sze Ming, typo errors on dates re Suez Canal.(1) Instead of 1975 it should be 1875 and instead of 1982 it should be 1882.(2) President el Sisi: instead of an Airforce General we now have an Army General as President. Anything you care to comment? Sanitized version will do.

Reply
Neoh
9/8/2015 09:31:01 pm

Hi Dad, you're absolutely right about the date typos. I'll correct them as soon as I can.

And I believe it was President Nasser who nationalised the canal in 1956, triggering the Suez Crisis. El Sisi is the current President, and he was the Director of military intelligence prior to the revolution in 2011. He was subsequently promoted to Minister of Defence and Chief of the Armed Forces in 2012. He became President in 2014 after yet another uprising, this time against the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013.

Further comments on Egypt today? Well, to be honest, most of the population is disillusioned (again). They expected the revolution to better their lives but the reality is that inflation is now 10%, many jobs have been lost due to tourism dropping by 80% and people are feeling poorer than ever before partly due to unavoidable subsidy cuts. It's a very sad case actually.

And the so-called New Suez Canal has been met with criticism. It was extravagantly financed with bonds bought by Egyptian nationals at 12% interest (coupon). The government has to pony up something like USD400mil a year just to pay off the interest and many quarters are wondering why the canal has to be expanded at such cost when global sea trade has been more or less stagnant. They ask whether the money could be used to help the people instead.

Rocky roads ahead for the government, but at least the Brotherhood is more or less contained although no reconciliation on the cards. And the country feels safe, so security is not an issue. I think a lot of investors and tourists alike are employing the wait-and-see approach. No telling if another political upheaval is around the corner, and who knows what that will bring.

Reply
Neoh
9/8/2015 09:49:05 pm

Sorry, I misunderstood Point 2. I thought you were saying that El Sisi nationalised the canal instead of Nasser! Yeah, I'm not so sure about the population's true feelings about him because most people clam up the moment you bring up politics. But from general conversations, and from what I can sense on the ground, he doesn't quite enjoy the same popularity which swept him into power in 2014. And its only been a year. I refer to the disillusionment I mentioned in my earlier reply.

Reply
Mariusz Walkowiak
11/8/2015 08:19:13 pm

Neoh, I enjoy all your posts very much. We met in a small hotel in Tashkent. Since then I almost forgot about Central Asia, occupied with my work and other mundane things, while you are still on your journey ! That's amazing :) I will follow your adventures, good luck !

Reply
Neoh
12/8/2015 12:46:30 pm

Hi Mariusz,

Of course I remember! Although Central Asia seems so far away and so far behind right now. I hope all is well with your RX1, a camera which I admire very much.

Thanks for the comments and I look forward to more!

When things get too desperate at work, it's time for another holiday :)

Reply
Mariusz
13/8/2015 01:31:58 pm

My RX1 is perfectly fine. And I can see from amazing photos that your X-T1 as well :)

Neoh
14/8/2015 07:35:07 pm

Haha, yeah, I'm very happy with this camera. The only problem with mirrorless cameras is that the sensor tends to get dirty because there is no mirror to shield it when you're changing lenses. Oh well, small sacrifice I guess.

Reply
Mum link
12/8/2015 11:07:21 am

Sze Ming, where are you now? Please respond.

Reply
Neoh
12/8/2015 12:47:28 pm

Hi mum, I'm in Petra now. Just got in. Have been in the Jordanian desert in Wadi Rum, so no internet for the past few days.

Reply
Dad link
12/8/2015 01:41:04 pm

The Eternal Egypt

Sze Ming, you have good empathy for the masses but they know in their heart that it is not easy to change Egypt or to change themselves - all handicapped by past grandeurs and future (empty) promises.

The adjective - Pharaonic described it all; come to think of it, except for Sadat, all the modern Rulers that last i.e. Nasser, Mubarak (Air Force General) and El Sisi looked and behaved like Pharaohs. They realized that to rule Egypt is/was to be harsh otherwise they would not last.

May that as it may, Egypt is pivotal to Middle East befitting the old saying that you cannnot start a war in M.E.without Egypt but you cannot end one without Syria; tragically this is still true.

You did not take H'way 33 from Suez to Taba because it is closed for security reason? or too badly maintained? Pity!! The desert mountains of Sinai are reportedly quite something.

Dad

Reply
Neoh
12/8/2015 02:17:15 pm

Hi dad,

Yeah, but I do think that the Youth of Egypt who were part of the Arab Spring movement(s), genuinely had optimism for better days. Perhaps they are not as encumbered with the burden of history and perhaps also they are more exposed to how other countries are being (relatively) better-run.

I didn't take 33 across to Taba, but I took the Southern route circling the entire Sinai Peninsula, so I saw a lot of this area. Yes, the mountains are indeed beautiful, but I think 33 may have given me an even better view via the mountain passes. Oh well. That route wasn't possible not because of security reasons. There didn't seem to be sufficient demand. Can you believe there is only one bus a day from Suez to the supposed tourist towns of Sharm-el-Sheik and Dahab before ending up in Nurweiba where to ferry departs for Jordan? And in my entire trip I saw one (1) other tourist.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.