Editorial of the Day (27 Dec): Suez Canal and Panama Canal

Table of Contents

Context: Recently, a chemical tanker named MV Chem Pluto, en route to India, was targeted by a drone strike while traversing the Red Sea trade route in West Asia, amidst a series of attacks on ships in the region.

Suez Canal

The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea at Port Said to the Red Sea via Suez in Egypt, serving as a key shipping lane between Europe and Asia, bypassing Africa.
Geographically, the canal lies in northeastern Egypt, stretching about 120 miles (193 kilometres) from Port Said to Suez, separating Africa from the Sinai Peninsula.
The concept of a canal through the Isthmus of Suez has ancient origins but was actively pursued in the 19th century.
The Universal Suez Ship Canal Company, predominantly French and British-owned, began canal construction in 1858.
The Suez Canal, spanning 193 km, opened for global navigation in 1869.
British control persisted over the canal until 1956, when Egypt nationalised it during the Suez Crisis.
Post-nationalization, the Suez Canal was managed by the Suez Canal Authority and reopened for international shipping in 1957.

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Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is an engineered waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Isthmus of Panama.
It stands as one of the world’s two key strategic man-made waterways, alongside the Suez Canal.
Spanning roughly 80 kilometres in length.
Constructed by the United States from 1904 to 1914, it was inaugurated on August 15, 1914.
Ownership and management of the canal were transferred to the Republic of Panama in 1999, after being under U.S. control.
The canal features a series of locks that adjust water levels, enabling ships to traverse the continental divide.