Canal and Approaches

A - Length of the Navigable Channel:

(1) EAST APPROACH CHANNEL (PORT SAID)

(a) Distance from outer pair of light buoys (East Branch) at Hm. 195 to Hm. 94.90 where it joins the West Approach channel is [10.010 Km.].

(b) Distance from Hm. 94.90 to the pair of revolving light beacons at Km. 2.738 E is [12.228 Km.].

(2) WEST APPROACH CHANNEL (PORT SAID)

(a) Distance from Fairway buoys to Port Said Lighthouse is [11.040 Km.] (Bearing 017°).

(b) Distance from Port Said Lighthouse Km. 0.000 or Km. 3 East to Ismailia is [78.500 Km.].

(c) Distance from Ismailia to Port Tewfik Km. 162.250 is [83.750 Km.].

(d) Distance form Port Tewfik Km. 162.250 Hm. 000 to the outer pair of buoys Hm. 80.50 is [8.050 Km.].

TOTAL length of the Navigable Channel is [192.548 Km.].

B - Characteristics of the Navigable Channel (Canal and Approaches):

(1) NORTH APPROACHES

(a) PORT SAID EAST APPROACH CHANNEL from Hm. 195 to Km. 1.000:
i - Depth of water [21.00 m.].

ii - CHANNEL WIDTH MEASURED at 21 m. depth:
Hm. 195.00 "745 m".
Hm. 80.00 E "400 m".
Km. 1.000 E "130 m".

iii - SIDE SLOPES:
Natural land side slopes, ranging from 5/1 near shore to about 15/1
in the offshore part.

(b) PORT SAID WEST APPROACH CHANNEL from Hm. 95.00 to Port Said:

i - Depth of water "16.50 m".
ii - Channel width measured at 16.50 m. depth:
Hm. 90.00 "520 m".
Hm. 25.00 "230 m".

(2) CANAL CROSS SECTIONS

(a) The Canal cross sections are trapezoidal in shape, having side slopes of 4/1 in the northern part, up to Km. 61.00 and 3/1 in the southern part. Toussoum Zone is the only place where the Western slopes are 2.5/1.

(b) Both sides of the Canal are provided with mooring Ballard.

(3) SOUTH APPROACH FROM HM 0.00 TO HM 80.50

(a) Depth of water "23.50 m".

(b) Channel width measured at 19 m. depth from Hm. 0.00 to Hm. 80.50 is
"292.00 m".

(c) Side slopes 3/1.

s

C - Depth and Width of different parts of the Canal

D - BENDS IN THE CANAL

The bends in the navigable channel have the following characteristics:

(1) Radius of navigation line = "5000 m".

(2) Width of channel at 11.00 m. depth = "225 - 242 m".

(3) Width of channel at 19.00 m. depth, north of Km. 61.000 (side slopes 4/1) = "176 m".

(4) Width of channel at 19.00 m. depth, south of Km. 61.000 (side slopes 3/1) = "177 - 192 m".

(5) At the ends of two bends, there is usually a funnel made to allow increasing the width of the channel from the width of the straight part to the width of the curves, (At 11.00 m. depth).

E - By - passes and Loops

(1) PORT SAID BY-PASSThe bends in the navigable channel have the following characteristics:

A by-pass is dredged East of Port Fouad starting at Km. 17.00 and extending straight to join the existing Port Said roadstead at Hm., 94.90 and continuing till Hm. 195. This channel (By-Pass) is used for the exit of Northbound ships, the entry of Very Large Crude Carrier ship's in ballast, 4th generation containerships and 3rd generation containerships, Lighter Aboard Ship over 35000 Suez Canal Gross Tonnage, Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Liquefied Natural Gas tankers and vessels with draught over 42 feet coming from North.

CHARACTERISTICS AND DIMENSIONS:

The Kilometric marks are followed by letter "E" to distinguish them from those of the West branch. The inland part (from Km. 1.500 E to Km. 15.465 E) width (at 19.00 meters depth) is 146 meters with side slopes 4/1. Theoretical depth 20.50 meters. It fitted with Ballard on the Western side, spaced every 100 meters.

The seaward part (from Km. 1.000 E to Hm. 94.90 E) with width (at 21 meters depth) ranging from 130 meters at Km. 1.000 E to 400 meters at Hm. 80.00 E with natural side slopes ranges from (5/1 - 15/1). Two revolving light beacons on each bank, to indicated the entrance of Canal from East Approach channel at Km. 2.738E.

(2) BALLAH LOOP

Between Km. 51 and 61 the Canal is doubled in the East by a branch. The zone comprising the 2 branches of the Canal limited by the North and South ends where the 2 branches meet, is called "Ballah Loop".

In the East Branch the kilometric marks are followed by letter "E". The length of the East Branch is [8.490 Km.].

Kilometric marking of North end (West Branch 51.477 - East Branch 51.449 E).

Kilometric marking of South end (West Branch 60.333 - East Branch 59.943 E).

Slope of Bank 4/1.

In the West branch, 15 mooring berths are situated on the Eastern bank and numbered South to North.

(3) TIMSAH BY-PASS

Between Km. 76.580 and Km. 81.700 E.

CHARACTERISTICS AND DIMENSIONS:

- The kilometric marks are followed by letter "E".

- Length: [5.110 Km. counted at right angle from Km. 76.578 to Km. 81.700.

- Width: [182 m.] at a depth of 19 meters.

- Slope: The side slope is 3/1.

- The radius of its axis [4905 m.].

- The by-bass is used by North and Southbound vessels.

(4) DEVERSOIR BY-PASS

A branch is dredged East of the existing channel at Deversoir zone. This branch begins at Km. 95.000 and joins the main East channel in the Great Bitter Lake at Km. 104.160. This branch is used by Northbound vessels.

DIMENSIONS:

- Width [142 m.] at 19 meters depth.

- Depths: [20.500 m.] from Km. 95.000 to Km. 100.670.
[20.000 m.] from Km. 100.670 to Km. 102.600.
[19.500 m.] from Km. 102.600 to Km. 104.160.

- Side Slope: 3/1.

(5) KABRIT BY-PASS

The By-Pass is situated in the East of the Main Canal. It begins at Km. 114.957 and ends at Km. 122.100. It is (250 - 152 meters) wide at a depth of 19 meters, the bank slope is 3/1.

The by-pass is separated from west branch a submerged island at a depth between 2 and 6 meters.

The width of the island varies between 200 meters in the North and 66 meters in the South. Some mooring Ballard have been installed on the submerged island to be used in case of emergency.

The two extremities of the submerged island are marked at Km. 115.025 and 122.150 by a light buoy painted horizontally Black and Yellow and showing a flashing White light.

The by-pass (East Channel) is used by Northbound vessels. Southbound vessels use the West channel.