by Henok Tadele
The recent grounding of the Ever Given container ship in the Suez Canal illuminated the waterway’s vulnerabilities and the need for alternative trade routes between Asia and Europe. As vital as the canal remains for global commerce, over-reliance on this single passageway carries economic risks. The time is ripe to revisit ambitious past proposals, like Israel’s Ben Gurion Canal, to construct new shipping canals offering redundancy and competition.
For over 150 years, the Suez Canal has served as the jugular of international trade. Around 12% of global commerce flows through this narrow channel, earning Egypt billions in annual toll revenues. Yet recurring disruptions like the 2021 Ever Given incident expose the perils of overdependence. With globalization continually expanding maritime trade, the concentration risk grows ever more acute.
Past conflicts have repeatedly shuttered the canal and roiled supply chains, affirming the strategic value of alternative routes. Backed by the U.S., Israel once secretly planned a Negev Canal crossing its southern expanse. While never built, this Ben Gurion Canal could now merit a second look, with tremendous potential upsides for key parties.
For Israel, the project would diversify its economy and offer a new source of sustainable revenues. It would also enhance its role as a global trade nexus, boosting geopolitical leverage. The canal zone would enable development of thriving new port cities and associated industries. Critically, it would also provide non-Arab aligned traffic between the Mediterranean and Red Sea, strengthening Israel’s security position.
For African nations like Ethiopia seeking to reduce strategic dependence on Egypt, alternative canals promise new freedom of movement. Egypt has long used its control of the Suez to stymie Ethiopian water infrastructure projects on the Nile. A new southern passageway would curb these pressures. Investing in the Ben Gurion Canal could also allow Ethiopia to share in its considerable economic benefits.
Oil-rich Arab states may likewise see upside in bypassing the Suez chokepoint. The Ben Gurion Canal would make Saudi Arabia’s Neom mega-city region a global trade crossroads. Other Gulf states could share in the project’s dividends. Even Egypt might retain revenues by aligning tolls with the Negev route.
While capital intensive, the Ben Gurion Canal’s champions could attract funding by demonstrating the collateral benefits: energy diversification, climate resilience, tourism development and more. Advanced tunneling techniques also enhance feasibility. By distributing costs and rewards multilaterally, the project’s viability strengthens.
With foresight, Israel and partners could break ground on this modern engineering marvel — one realizing Ben Gurion’s vision while transforming geoeconomics and trade. When the next Ever Given comes along, the world will be glad for the alternative.