Crossing the Suez Canal: Ismailia Tunnels

Crossing the Suez Canal: Tunnels for Ismailia

Arabic Republic of Egypt Ismaïlia

On August 5, 2014, the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced the launch of a mega-project: A new canal parallel to the Suez Canal with several tunnel crossings between Sinai, Ismailia and Port Said. This would be accompanied with new ports and industrial estates to intensify international trade through Egypt and stimulate the country’s economic growth.

The new Suez Canal was opened just 1 year later, but that isn’t the end of the project. An additional 76,000 km² on either side of the canal are to be developed for industrial and technology estates, which will be supported by crossings under the canal to transform the region around the Suez Canal into a world-class economic zone.

tunnel length each (km)

4.8

tunnel length each (km)

tunnel diameter (meters)

tunnel depth below ground (meters)

The Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces of the Arab Republic of Egypt commissioned CDM Smith with design review, approval, and construction supervision for the tunnels in Ismailia, including a factory for the precast segmental lining. To be constructed at a depth of 60m are two road tunnels with two lanes each that will connect Ismailia with the new eastern trade area in Sinai.

Together with our local partner, ACE, we help ensure a safe, high-quality and fast connection from North Africa to Asia via the Sinai Peninsula to last a century.

Michael Löffler

We provided tunnel planning, design and supervision, as well as applied our extensive experience in tunneling equipment machines and open tunneling, during this mega-project's 4-year construction period and first year of operation.

Project Photos

TBM S-958 heading to cross the Suez Canal.

View from the tunnel through the launch shaft to the access ramp west.

Project Details

Did you know?

For 10 cross passages (5m diameter each) between the two road tunnels, soil samples were tested from +20 to -20 °C at our frost laboratory. The results were used for the design parameters for temporary ground freezing in the salt-rich local clay and sand layers.