The Suez Canal links the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, creating a major shortcut for international shipping between Europe and Asia.
The modern canal crosses Egypt and runs from Port Said on the Mediterranean to Suez on the northern Gulf of Suez. It opened in 1869 after a decade of construction led by the Suez Canal Company. The waterway has no locks because the Mediterranean and Red Sea are close to the same sea level.
Without the canal, ships traveling between Europe and ports in the Indian Ocean would generally need to sail around the Cape of Good Hope at southern Africa. The canal therefore reduces distance, fuel use and voyage time for many routes.
The Suez Canal is different from the Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through Central America and uses locks. The Suez route has also been affected by wars, closures and modern shipping disruptions, showing how a single trade corridor can influence worldwide supply chains.