Suez Canal ‘traffic jam’: hitting the trade

Context

The Suez Canal has been blocked by a large cargo-ship that stuck sideways across the canal.

About Suez Canal

• The Suez Canal is a sea-levelwater channel in Egypt.
• It is an artificial route commissioned in 1869.
• The Suez Canal is a critical shipping route that connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas through Egypt.
• It provides a direct route between the North Atlantic and northern Indian oceans.
• Connecting Ports:The canal extends from the northern terminus of Port Said to the Southern end of Port Tewfik at the city of Suez.
• Control: The Canal was initially controlled by the British and French, however was nationalized in 1956 by Egypt’s leader Gamal Abdel Nasser.
• Economic Significance: It is one of the world’s most extensively used shipping routes which carry more than 12% of the world trade by volume.

The reason behind the Suez Canal blocked

• The Ship is expected to be stuck by a Sandstorm which is a frequent occurrence at this point in the Sinai Peninsula.