Why Building a New Canal Is Not the Solution to the Suez Canal Situation

Recently, the Suez Canal has experienced a major blockage, causing significant disruptions. Instead of considering a long-term solution that would take years to implement, some have suggested a temporary fix by digging a new canal to reroute the traffic. However, does this truly make sense? Let's explore the feasibility of this idea and why it might not be the best temporary solution.

The Inefficiency of Building a New Canal

Building a new canal as a temporary fix is not only impractical but also highly inefficient. According to basic principles of civil engineering, the process of constructing a new canal would involve several complex steps. These steps include finding a suitable location, clearing large amounts of earth, digging the canal, flooding it, installing necessary infrastructure (such as navigation lights and signal controls), and conducting test runs. All of these processes would likely take much longer than the time required to free the stuck ship.

Why the M6 Road Experience Can Provide Insight

Comparing the situation to a well-known road, the M6 in the UK, provides a useful analogy. Imagine if the M6, a major artery connecting Scotland and Birmingham, was shut down for 3 to 4 days due to a fuel spill. While it would certainly cause chaos, no one would consider building a new road as a temporary fix. Building a new road would involve flattening the ground, laying tarmac, installing barriers, and putting up signs. This entire process would take more time than the road would be closed. Thus, the idea of building a new canal for the Suez situation is similarly impractical.

Feasibility of Building a New Canal

Let's consider the specific challenges involved in building a new canal. The Ever Given, the ship that caused the blockage, is 1300 feet long. This means the new canal would need to be able to accommodate such large vessels while allowing for safe turning. Assuming there is enough space on either side of the canal, the process of digging, flooding, and installing necessary infrastructure would still take considerable time. Moreover, test runs to ensure the safety of the new route would be necessary before it could be opened to the public.

Given these constraints, it is highly unlikely that a new canal would be ready within a matter of weeks or months. Building such a canal would likely take longer than the time it would take to free the ship, especially if the ship is blocked for only several weeks.

Conclusion

While the idea of a new bypass canal might seem like a straightforward solution at first glance, it is fraught with practical difficulties. Civil engineering principles and common sense both suggest that a temporary fix to the Suez Canal situation should focus on immediate and efficient solutions rather than long-term, resource-intensive projects. As we await the resolution of this current issue, it is important to consider the feasibility and efficiency of all proposed solutions.