Turkey will
begin the tendering process for a new 45km canal to link the Mediterranean with
the Black Sea, the minister of transport Ahmet Arslan announced on Monday.
The plan is
to deliver the mega-project by 2023, that is, in time for the centennial
anniversary of the Turkish Republic.
The canal
with be carved through Istanbul, in parallel to the Bosporus Straight. The
objective will be to alleviate congestion from one of the busiest waterways in
the world, through which, an estimated 50,000 vessels pass every year.
From
Istanbul’s Kucukcemece coast will be carved, link with the Sea of Marmara, and
continue to the Sazlidere Dam north, reaching the Black Sea north of the town
of Durusu.
The cost of
the project is unknown, but Turkish media estimate a €14bn price tag for the
canal alone, which will be paid out over the course of five years.
The project
will include a cluster of mega-projects aiming at Istanbul’s urban
regeneration, including three underwater tunnels for vehicles and a new
airport, which authorities claim will be the largest in the world.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/turkey-plans-second-canal-link-black-sea-mediterranean/