[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Serious question, but could some Canal maintenance be at fault too? it seems like the bank on the right side has silted up more than the left if the drawings are to be believed. Egypt has been through some considerable turmoil in the last decade.

Probably. Sounds like it's not exactly professionally managed.

Capt Ranjan Chowdhury, who sailed the Suez canal frequently during his 35-year maritime career, said the canal pilots, mandated by the SCA to steer transiting ships and aid tricky navigation on the waterway, contributed to problems.


“The canal pilots play music inside the bridge, and there’s a lack of AIS-supported backup,” he said, in reference to the tracking system used on ships. “They connect to it with a computer, but the canal pilots are very over-confident when it comes to navigating by sight. Every time they’re eating food, smoking, talking a lot and asking for bribes which keeps them very busy. Navigation is an art, and if you lose concentration for a second while navigating a narrow channel, it should be investigated.”


“We call the Suez canal Marlboro country,” he added. “If we provide them with a big carton of Marlboro cigarettes they’re happy. Not every captain has done their homework before transiting through the Suez canal.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...canal-blockage