NAVIGATING GIANTS: CAN AIRCRAFT CARRIERS JOURNEY THROUGH WORLD'S CRUCIAL CANALS?

Aircraft carriers are, next to hovercrafts, among the greatest feats of modern naval engineering. They are the great sky barge floating fortresses of the sea. So it’s a natural question to ask whether they can sail through the global arteries of trade, both the Suez and Panama Canals. It would seem like a simple question. It’s not that simple. Here’s why.

THE RED SEA GATEWAY: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SUEZ CANAL

The Suez Canal, the navigational key connecting the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, is the world’s vital artery, its graphical aorta. Its dimensions are said to set the mark for these things: max draft of 20 metres and air draft of 68. The U S Nimitz-class carriers draw around 12 metres, and carry some 65 metres of flight deck over the waves. On the surface, that looks to fit the bill. Yet always read the small print.

BRIDGING OCEANS: THE PANAMA CANAL'S TALE

Here too, the Panama Canal has an ‘across the shoulder’ story: through a series of locks, vessels pass through thresholds with a 15.2-metre draft and a 57.9-metre air draft, which, in theory, would accommodate US aircraft carriers such as the Nimitz-class. But the devil, as usual, is in the details of operations.

CHALLENGES ON THE HIGH SEAS

NAVIGATIONAL NUANCES AND SECURITY

On paper, the world’s largest ship can cruise the canals whenever it wants, but these leviathans are hindered by practical obstacles. The remarkable engineering necessary to create the canals and operate them means that they are forgiving of traffic, albeit demanding of ships: these vessels are not going to be able to navigate them without expert pre-familiarisation. Security is complex, requiring escorts and aerial surveillance.

THE LOGISTICAL LABYRINTH

But beyond the vessel’s dimensions is an entire structure of logistics: fuel, repair, maintenance – the infrastructure of the canals might not meet the needs of a US Navy aircraft carrier, for whom a ‘canal’ becomes not a linear object but a network of support.

A CONCLUSIVE VOYAGE

Squaring the compass aside, even if the architectural dimensions were right, the Suez and Panama Canal passages would still be a tricky business, strategically, operationally and logistically speaking. This is to say that the long way round is, most of the time, the way it is. So the sea giants do just that, go around to serve their purpose.

THE CRIMSON HUE: EXPLORING RED

But red as a colour has crept into this narrative of canals and carriers, like the Red Sea itself, with an eye on global naval navigation that has acted as a sea-lane for the world’s largest ships. Strong, striking, warning and dripping with significance, the colour red is a powerful symbol – and one which fits the subject perfectly. Red demands attention, as does the planning of how the world’s largest ships are going to squeeze their way through the world’s busiest canals. From the Red Sea’s geostrategic importance to the red tape required to navigate the operational challenges that scale presents, this colour represents the seriousness and the significance of the way we take the world’s great ships through the world’s great canals.