Which sea-level route links the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea?

The Suez Canal is the sea-level route linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.

The canal crosses Egypt’s Isthmus of Suez and provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the Indian Ocean. Unlike the Panama Canal, it does not use locks because the Mediterranean and Red Sea are at nearly the same level. Ships travel through a series of dredged channels and lakes.

The modern canal opened on 17 November 1869 after a decade of construction led by the Suez Canal Company. It transformed world trade by eliminating the need to sail around the Cape of Good Hope. Egypt nationalized the canal in 1956, triggering the Suez Crisis.

The canal was enlarged in stages, including a major project completed in 2015. In 2021, the container ship Ever Given became lodged in the canal and blocked traffic for six days, highlighting its importance to global shipping.