On May 15, the media reported that the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) plans to launch the dredging project with a view to the canal extension. According to Head of the Administration Usama Rabia, the essence of the project is to deepen the transport lane that connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
The extension of the Suez Canal will transform it into a two-way transport waterway with bigger traffic capacity. The bulk of the work is carried out at the southern end near the Great and Small Bitter Lakes, not far from the entrance to the canal. This is the spot where giant container ship Ever Given got grounded for six days in March 2021, disrupting global trade.
Usama Rabia stated that the project would be implemented in several stages. «The first phase includes the implementation of a project to duplicate the canal with the Small Bitter Lake», he commented on the authority’s plan.
The second stage aims to extend the second canal lane by 10 km and make it 82 km long from the current 72 km. Besides, a 30-km long section of the southern lane is supposed to be widened and deepened.
