PART II
CANAL AND LAKES (CHARACTERISTICS)
CHAPTER VI
CANAL AND LAKES
Art. 79- Canal and Approaches :
A- Length of the Navigable Channel :
(1)East Approach Channel (Port Said) : km.
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
b)Distance from Hm 94.90 to the pair of
revolving light beacons at Km.2.738 E ...................………. 12.228
(2)West Approach Channel (Port Said) :
a)Distance from Fairway buoys to Port Said
Light- house is 11.040 Km.(Bear'g 017degree)
b)Distance from Port Said Lighthouse ( Km. 0.000 )
or (Km.3 east branch ) to Ismailia is ....................................78.500
c)Distance from Ismailia to Port Tewfik (Km. 162.250) is .. 83.750
d)Distance from Port Tewfik (Km. 162.250 ) (Hm.000) to the outer pair
of buoys Hm. 80.50 is ..........................................................8.050
TOTAL Length of the Navigable Channel ..........................192.548
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. 80.00 520 m.
Hm. 25.00230 m.
( 2 ) Canal Cross Sections [ See Drawings No. ( 10 ) a, b ] :
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 ) Tables of main dimensions of cross sections all through the Canal (See the corresponding table)
c ) Both sides of the Canal are provided with mooring bollards.
( 3 ) South Approach from Hm. 0.00 (Km. 162.250 ) 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 meters.
c ) Side slopes 3/1.
C - DEPTH AND WIDTH OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CANAL :
1- Main Canal and Bitter Lake East Channel.
2- Canal West Branches and Bitter Lake West Channel.
D - Bends in the Canal :
The bends in the navigable channel have the following characteristics :
(1)Radius of navigation line = 5000 meters.
(2)Width of channel at 11.00 meters depth = 225 - 242 meters.
(3)Width of channel at 19.00 meters depth. North of Km. 61.000 ( side slopes 4/1 ) = 176 meters.
(4)Width of channel at 19.00 meters depth, South of Km. 61.000
( side slopes 3/1 ) = 177-192 meters.
(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 meters depth).
(6)Location of beginning and end of each bend are included in the following table :
Canal Bends
Kilometric indication
Kilometric indication
of beginning point
of end point
Km.51
Km.49.510
Km. 51.480 W
Km. 51.790 E
Km. 53
Km. 52.050
Km. 53.520
Km. 57
Km. 56.870
Km. 58.800
Km. 61
Km. 60.310 W
Km. 63.300
Km. 59.940 E
S' curves
Km. 71.960
Km. 75.300
Timsah curve
Km. 76.520
Km. 81.700 E
Km. 85
Km. 85.030
Km. 87.400
Km. 103
Km. 102.600
Km. 105.30
Km. 122
Km. 121.940 E
Km. 125.510
Km. 122.500 W
Km. 130
Km. 129.500
Km. 131.980
Km. 146
Km. 145.500
Km. 146.330
Km. 154
Km. 154.700
Km. 155.720
Km. 157
Km. 156.280
Km. 160.000

Note :At the approaches of the by-passes, bends are made with radius more than 5000 meters.
E - By-passes and Loops :
(1)Port Said By-Pass ( See Drawing No. 4 Part II ) :
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 VLCC's in ballast, 4th generation containerships and 3rd generation containerships, LASH over 35.000 SC.G.T.,L.P.G., L.N.G. 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 is fitted with bollards 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 indicate the entrance of Canal from East Approach channel at Km. 2.738 E.
(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.
WestEast
BranchBranch
Kilometric marking of North end51.47751.449 E
Kilometric marking of South end60.33359.943 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 meters at a depth of 19 meters.
Slope: The side slope is 3/1.
The radius of its axis 4905 meters
The by-pass is used by North and Southbound vessels.
(4)Deversoir By-Pass (See Drawing No. 7 Part II) :
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 G.B.L. at Km. 104.160. This branch is used by Northbound vessels.
Dimensions:
Width : 142 meters at 19 meters depth.
Depths: 20.500 meters from Km. 95.000 to Km. 100.670.
20.000 meters from Km. 100.670 to Km. 102.600.
19.500 meters from Km. 102.600 to Km. 104.160.
Side Slope: 3/1.
(5)Kabrit By-Pass ( See Drawing No. 9 Part II ) :
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 by 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 bollards 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.