The Suez Canal Transit

I see sand and more sand. Sand dunes and heaps of sand, sand hills and deserts, sand dips and desert, sand hills and sand everywhere one should look. Coming through the Mediterranean it was nice, still cool from the winter months and lovely and calm and even the first bits of the Canal seemed cooler than one would have thought with all that sand hanging around. At this moment please imagine looking at the biggest beach you have ever seen and then multiply it by a million or two.

So for a bit of History: The Suez Canal is one of the most important waterways in the world. The 101-mile waterway connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The Suez Canal is often called the "crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia" because the route is used to transport goods to and from all three continents.

Port Said is the main shipping port at the North end of the Canal and Port Suez is the main shipping port at the South end of the Canal. Ship cannot just turn up at the port and sail on through the Canal at whim. If that happened the Canal would become one massive traffic jam with ships honking at every sand dune. There is a very strict system in place that is followed by all vessels and which is controlled and regimented by the Suez Canal Authorities (SCA). And these strict rules state clearly that if you don't comply then you will be taking your ship the long way around: back through the Mediterranean, down the West Coast of Africa and hopefully if you survive the turmoil's of the Cape Horn and have not run out of fuel then you will arrive at your destination only three weeks later than you would have done had you followed the rules.

The Rules and regulations are pretty strict and must be adhered to by all concerned. The fees are also pretty steep and must be paid. For example: a 14m Yacht with two-crew onboard, will pay upwards of 400US dollars to get through and this is without the need for a pilot or boatman etc. Bigger ships go into the thousands of Dollars before they have even found their place in the convoy.

But before one assumes that the Transit Dues are all that need to be paid please read this next section carefully. Transit Fees are one item but many others exist. Any ship over 300t, which includes most of the vessels using the Canal, requires a pilot (and strangely enough yachts also require a pilot even though they maybe under this figure). In fact more than one Pilot is required during the transit period. Any ship using the Canal requires a boatman to be onboard and these kind gentlemens function will be explained later. Other costs will include a compulsory Agency Fee, Banking Fees and Commission, Payment for Port Clearance (that doubles in price when paid after hours) and a hefty fee to the Ministry of Transport whose function is not stated very clearly in any documentation.

Large Mosque on Bank near Port of Suez
Photo Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 2006

Now before going through can be contemplated and about the same time that the Company is choking over the large payment they have had to make to the SCA certain figures and numbers will have to be issued to the Shipping Agency hired to look after the vessel. These will include items such as the last time that the vessel sailed through Canal, cargo carried, last and next ports of call, recent modifications to the vessel, number of crew onboard, their names and the personal effects that they have with them, vessel particulars and any name changes of the vessel, etc, etc. They want it all and they will then deliver these facts and figures to the required authorities ashore.

NB: It is impossible to sail through the Canal without an agency to look after the "nitty-gritty" sides of Egyptian bureaucracy.

Before the vessel joins the convoy a whole list of ships diagrams must be handed over to the Canal Authorities. These diagrams include the General Arrangement Plan for the Vessel, the Capacity Plan, the Engine Room Plan, Full Manifests of cargo carried and a Suez Canal Special tonnage Certificate (helps if you have one). Now the SCA (Suez Canal Authority) does suggest that photocopies of the documents are given but I have always found it extremely hard to copy a massive A1 size sheet of paper that is larger than the Kitchen Floor so the originals in many cases do have to be released. Just remember to get them back at the other end, but saying that they are normally pretty good in returning the documents in timely fashion.

The SCA knows that you are coming, the fees have been paid and the documents made ready. The question now is can the ship go? And the answer is "no". Certain other formalities must be worked through before the journey can commence. On arrival at Port Said or at Port Suez at the other end a vessel is required to be flying certain flags on the mast.

1. Pilot Signal requesting a Pilot
2. Call Letters of the vessel
3. Quarantine Flag for the vessel
4. Immigration Signal requesting clearance
5. The Signal to denote any dangerous cargo onboard.

Fly the flags and wait for all to be cleared and acknowledged by the individual parties concerned. The Health Authorities will come, board and clear the vessel: immigration will do the same and so on down the line.

A couple of strange rules apply and ones that are often a pain to Captains and Crew of the vessels. The first is the one regarding searchlights as the SCA requires that all vessels have a forward reaching light and in many cases an aft reaching one as well. If not, then one can be hired for the transit from the locally based Search Light Company - at great cost of course. Another strange quirk is the requirement that vessels transiting the Canal must have Mooring Boats hired from the Mooring Company (an apt name) or ones approved by the SCA. Furthermore each vessel transiting the Canal is required to have the personnel to command and operate such a boat or boats.

Now this last one is open to dialogue and much head scratching as the rules do go on for a few pages and what is left is one very confused Captain. As a brief overview what they are trying to say is that if the Vessel breaks down whilst in transit then the small boat or boats can be utilized to take the mooring lines ashore so that the vessel can be secured and the rest of the convoy can continue on its way. Oh, and that the personnel required are of course sent from the Mooring Boat Company.

So, these mooring boats and personnel are placed on the deck of the ship prior to the transit commencing and they will remain on the vessel until the other end of the canal is reached. Now if the official Mooring Boat Company does not have any available boats, which is quite often the case, then the Vessels own rescue boat or small boat may be used. But this Boat must be manned by the Personnel from the Mooring Boat Company and each boat must be manned by three men. Except for smaller vessels were only one boatman is required and no boat is needed. Questions about this last quirk should be answered in a later article.

And if you are really confused well this latest one will kick you whilst you are down. Each vessel must be fitted with a lifting appliance capable of lifting mooring boats of Four Tonnes Weight. Whether this is a Chain block rigged over the stern or the ships crane is not very clear but rest assured that the Lifting Device Company will rent a lifting device at great cost to the vessel should one be so required.

Please note that the Mooring Boat Company, the Search Light Company and the Lifting Device Company have offices at either end of the Canal for ease of rental of unwanted equipment during the transit.

Are we ready to go? Not quite yet. I hope in all sincerity that any vessel planning on transiting the Canal has informed their agent of their intent to transit at least five days prior to the event taking place? Otherwise the Vessel will go to anchor and wait for a few days for a space in a convoy becomes available. It is also advisable that vessels inform the Agent of their arrival time from five days prior to arrival and every day thereafter. Missing a convoy or not having a place booked on one is a costly and time consuming business.

Documents ashore, Immigration completed, Health okay, Mooring Boats and Personnel onboard, Searchlights sorted out, Four Ton Lifting device in working order, place on the convoy guaranteed by Agent previously, Engines started and Captain and Crew charged with energy - can we go?

"Is that Pilot Onboard yet"?

The SCA states that it is compulsory to have a pilot onboard for changes of berth, Canal transit and for any movement of the vessel whatsoever. The SCA clearly states: failure to comply with this regulation will incur heavy fines. The Pilots are normally very good in turning up just when the Captain has decided that he has missed his place in the convoy.

When the Pilot is onboard please take you place in the convoy.

Have a nice trip.