The Suez Canal, opened in November 1869 and built by Ferdinand de Lesseps, connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, stretching 192 km and facilitating about 7.5% of world sea trade today. Petroleum products accounted for 16% of canal cargo in 2009, with significant northbound and southbound oil transits. The canal has undergone enhancements to accommodate larger vessels, although it still cannot handle the biggest crude oil tankers.

1. July 2011
Suez Canal

4. Suez Canal opened to traffic in November 1869
It was built by Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps using
Egyptian forced labor; an estimated 120,000 workers died
during construction
It stretches 192km (120 miles) between the Mediterranean
and the Red Sea; It is 300m (984ft) wide at its narrowest point
By 1955 approximately two-thirds of Europe's oil passed
through the canal, The waterway closed 1967 due to the Six
Day War, reopened 1975. About 7.5% of world sea trade is
carried via the canal today

5. The Suez Canal is located in Egypt, and
connects the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez with
the Mediterranean Sea, covering 120 miles.
Petroleum (both crude oil and refined
products) accounted for 16 percent of Suez
cargos, measured by cargo tonnage, in 2009.
An estimated 1.0 million bbl/d of crude oil
and refined petroleum products flowed
northbound through the Suez Canal to the
Mediterranean Sea in 2009, while 0.8 million
bbl/d travelled southbound into the Red Sea.
This represents a decline from 2008, when
1.6 million bbl/d of oil transited northbound
to Europe and other developed economies.
Introduction

6. Almost 35,000 ships transited the Suez
Canal in 2009, of which about 10
percent were petroleum tankers. With
only 1,000 feet at its narrowest point,
the Canal is unable to handle the VLCC
(Very Large Crude Carriers) and ULCC
(Ultra Large Crude Carriers) class crude
oil tankers. The Suez Canal Authority is
continuing enhancement and
enlargement projects on the canal, and
extended the depth to 66 ft in 2010 to
allow over 60 percent of all tankers to
use the Canal.
Numbers of ships transiting
canal

7. The canal cuts through 3 lakes, the
Lake Manzala, in the north which is
protected from the canal with a
bedding on its western side, the Lake
Timsah in the middle, and the Bitter
Lakes further south. The Bitter Lakes
make up almost 30 km of the total
length.
Canal & Lakes?

22. Closure of the Suez Canal and the SUMED Pipeline
would divert tankers around the southern tip of
Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, adding 6,000 miles
to transit.
SUMED?

23. Thank you….