Multi-scale modelling of the water and sediment fluxes from the Nile Delta to the Suez Canal

Versaen, Amaury [UCL] Hanert, Emmanuel [UCL] Lambrechts, Jonathan [UCL]

The Suez Canal holds a pivotal role in global navigation and supply chains by facilitating the movement of goods between the East and West. Around 50 vessels navigate the canal daily. However, a pressing concern threatens its operational stability: the escalating sediment deposition that necessitates frequent canal dredging. While these sediments originate from diverse sources like land erosion in the northern Sinai and tributaries to the canal, a significant portion could originate from the Nile Delta. This sediment influx results from heightened erosion in the Nile delta, a consequence of reduced Nile River discharge. Multiple factors contribute to this discharge reduction, including upstream damming activities, intensified water usage for agriculture, and population growth in the Nile Basin. The grounding of the Ever Given container ship in 2021 illustrated the consequences of a congested Suez Canal, potentially causing substantial delays and economic losses in global trade. This research project aims to comprehensively grasp the dynamics of sediment transfer from the Nile Delta to the Suez Canal, considering the potential effects of current and future Nile River damming. To fulfill this goal, an integrated framework will be established, bridging the gap between alterations in Nile River discharge, sediment origins in the Nile Delta, and their accumulation in the Suez Canal. This framework will facilitate the quantification of sediment proportions reaching the canal and the assessment of navigation risks posed by these sediments under existing conditions and future discharge scenarios.