El Ferdan Railway Bridge
Encyclopedia
The El Ferdan Railway Bridge is a swing bridge
that spans the Suez Canal
near Ismailia
, Egypt
. It is the longest swing bridge in the world, with a span of 1100 ft (340 m). It replaced the 1963 bridge, which was destroyed in the Six-Day War
by the Engineering General Ahmed Hamdy
.
, including other projects such as the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel
under the Suez Canal (completed in 1983), the Suez Canal overhead line crossing
, and the Suez Canal Bridge
(completed in 2001).
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
that spans the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
near Ismailia
Ismaïlia
-Notable natives:*Osman Ahmed Osman, a famous and influential Egyptian engineer, contractor, entrepreneur, and politician, was born in this town on 6 April 1917....
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. It is the longest swing bridge in the world, with a span of 1100 ft (340 m). It replaced the 1963 bridge, which was destroyed in the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
by the Engineering General Ahmed Hamdy
Ahmed Hamdi
Ahmed Hamdi was an Egyptian engineer. He also was a general of the third army of Egypt, during the Yom Kippur war...
.
Significant developments in the region
The El Ferdan Railway Bridge was part of a major drive to develop the areas surrounding the Suez CanalSuez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, including other projects such as the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel
Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel
The Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel is an automobile tunnel under the Suez Canal. It has two lanes of traffic, one in each direction, and connects the Asian Sinai Peninsula to the town of Suez on the African mainland. It was originally constructed as a shield tunnel by the British government in 1983. Shortly...
under the Suez Canal (completed in 1983), the Suez Canal overhead line crossing
Suez Canal overhead line crossing
The Suez Canal overhead line crossing is an important electrical power line built across the Suez Canal in 1998, located in the city of Suez, Suez Governorate, Egypt...
, and the Suez Canal Bridge
Suez Canal Bridge
The Suez Canal Bridge, also known as the Shohada 25 January Bridge or the Egyptian-Japanese Friendship Bridge, is a road bridge crossing the Suez Canal at El Qantara. The Arabic "al qantara" means "the bridge". The bridge links the continents of Africa and Asia.-Design and construction:The bridge...
(completed in 2001).