Statistics

Item Length
Overall length 192,548 km
From Fairway buoys to Port Said lighthouse 11,040 km
From the waiting area to the Southern entrance 10,010 km
From Port Said to Ismailia 78,500 km
From Ismailia to Port Tewfik 83,750 km
Length of the by passes (double channels) 77,5 km
Breadth at water level 280-345 m
Breadth between buoys 180-210 m
Max permissible draft 58 ft (17,68 m)
Cross sectional area 3900-4500 mē
Projected expansion 4000-4700 mē
Max speed for loaded tankers 13 km/hr
Max speed for tankers in ballast 14 km/hr
Max speed for other vessels 14 km/hr
Depth of the navigable channel 19,5-24,5 m
Width of the canal 300-365 m
   
By Passes Length
Port Said by pass 36,5 km
Ballah by pass 9 km
Timsah by pass 5 km
Deversoir by pass 27 km

From the Mediterranean the canal is entered between two light buoys at the south end of Husein Basin. There is an additional channel east of the main channel which rejoins about 2,5 km south of the entrance. A channel from km 17 on the canal to the Mediterranean Sea, giving access to vessels in/out of the canal without passing by Port Said harbour.

The canal runs south and passes side by side with Lake Manzala, thence to lake Timsah, (midway point at km 78.5 - Ismailia Town), where the headquarters of the Suez Canal Authority is located, who have a radio station for communication with vessels in transit. The canal then runs into the Great and Bitter Lakes following a course to the south of Port Tewfik, between two light buoys. The average transit time is about 14 hours. The numerical capacity of the canal is about 76 vessels per day.