+
Suez Canal crisis: Israel rail route as alternative
PORTS & SHIPPING

Suez Canal crisis: Israel rail route as alternative

Talks about an alternative to the Suez Canal are ongoing, after more than 400 vessels were left stranded at either end of the canal after the 400 m container ship Ever Given ran aground leading to the blockage on March 23.

Eilat is a southern Israeli port and resort town on the Red Sea, near Jordan. In 2012, the Israeli cabinet voted to construct a railway line in Eilat to provide passenger and freight service, but subsequent studies showed that the project was not economically feasible, and the project had to be shelved. An article in the Haaretz suggests that in the aftermath of the unprecedented crisis caused on the Suez Canal by the Ever Given, this would be a good time to revive the project.

Instead of turning left at the north end of the Red Sea to pass through the canal, oceangoing vessels could veer right up the Gulf of Eilat, unload their cargo to adjacent trains for shipment to Ashdod or Haifa ports, and then reload it onto ships bound for Europe.

Shippers would save Suez Canal fees that can come to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and Israel would collect a fee for moving goods between its ports.

However, the reason for shelving the project is that it was found economically unviable and infeasible. A 2013 study by Professor Eran Feitelson and the late Professor Moshe Givoni found that Eilat Port could not be expanded enough to justify the cost of a railway line without creating major environmental damage.

President of the Israel Chamber of Shipping Yoram Sebbah has rejected the idea of using the railway line. Israel's ports are already operating at capacity and can't accept more vessels without creating long lines. Today, Eilat serves mainly as a port of entry for imported vehicles from East Asia for the Israeli market.

In the 1950s and 60s, when Egypt closed the Suez Canal to Israeli traffic, Eilat had played an important strategic role. A declassified memorandum reveals that the US planned in 1963 to create an alternative to the Suez Canal via nearly 260 km through the desert.

Image Source


Also read: Suez Canal crisis impact on India will be seen over months

Talks about an alternative to the Suez Canal are ongoing, after more than 400 vessels were left stranded at either end of the canal after the 400 m container ship Ever Given ran aground leading to the blockage on March 23.Eilat is a southern Israeli port and resort town on the Red Sea, near Jordan. In 2012, the Israeli cabinet voted to construct a railway line in Eilat to provide passenger and freight service, but subsequent studies showed that the project was not economically feasible, and the project had to be shelved. An article in the Haaretz suggests that in the aftermath of the unprecedented crisis caused on the Suez Canal by the Ever Given, this would be a good time to revive the project. Instead of turning left at the north end of the Red Sea to pass through the canal, oceangoing vessels could veer right up the Gulf of Eilat, unload their cargo to adjacent trains for shipment to Ashdod or Haifa ports, and then reload it onto ships bound for Europe. Shippers would save Suez Canal fees that can come to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and Israel would collect a fee for moving goods between its ports. However, the reason for shelving the project is that it was found economically unviable and infeasible. A 2013 study by Professor Eran Feitelson and the late Professor Moshe Givoni found that Eilat Port could not be expanded enough to justify the cost of a railway line without creating major environmental damage. President of the Israel Chamber of Shipping Yoram Sebbah has rejected the idea of using the railway line. Israel's ports are already operating at capacity and can't accept more vessels without creating long lines. Today, Eilat serves mainly as a port of entry for imported vehicles from East Asia for the Israeli market. In the 1950s and 60s, when Egypt closed the Suez Canal to Israeli traffic, Eilat had played an important strategic role. A declassified memorandum reveals that the US planned in 1963 to create an alternative to the Suez Canal via nearly 260 km through the desert. Image Source Also read: Suez Canal crisis impact on India will be seen over months

Next Story
Technology

Minda, Qualcomm Join Forces for Smart Auto Cockpit Tech

Minda Corporation Limited, the flagship of the Spark Minda Group, has announced a strategic partnership with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. to develop intelligent and connected cockpit solutions for the Indian automotive market. The upcoming smart interface will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit Platform.Commenting on the collaboration, Suresh D, Group CTO of Minda Corporation, said, “This partnership with Qualcomm Technologies marks a major milestone in advancing Minda’s digital cockpit capabilities. By utilising Qualcomm’s cutting-edge automotive platforms, we can now offer se..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Railways Spent Rs 604.7 Billion on Passenger Subsidy in FY24

New Delhi – The Indian Railways provisionally spent Rs 604.7 billion in subsidies during the financial year 2023–24, covering 45 per cent of passenger travel costs, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.In a written response to questions from multiple Members of Parliament regarding the recent rail fare hike, Vaishnaw stated that the Indian Railways continues to offer one of the most affordable transport services globally, ferrying over 7.2 billion passengers annually."The total amount of subsidy provided in FY 2023–24 on passenger travel is provisionally ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Auto Sector Can Cut Emissions by 87% by 2050: CEEW

India’s automobile industry could reduce its manufacturing emissions by 87 per cent by 2050 through a shift to green electricity and low-carbon steel, according to a study released by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).The report estimates that if original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers target net-zero emissions by 2050, annual emissions could fall from a projected 64 million tonnes of CO₂ (under the business-as-usual scenario) to just 9 million tonnes. This would require OEMs to adopt 100 per cent green electricity and steel suppliers to source 56 per ..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?