• Transit Of :-

1. Drilling Rigs

2. Heavy Lift Ships carrying drillers floating units or large units.

3. Vessels carrying floating units.

4. Navy Ships

5. Integrated units.

6. Towed units.

7. Special requests.

A - Drilling Rigs " They consist of " :

1. Drilling vessels : To be convoyed by SC Imposed tug.(see  Art. 57 (7) ).

2. Drilling Rigs :

1. Self steering or nonself steering.

2. Legs that can be lifted : No extensions under the rig's keel. To be assisted  by Suez Canal tugs :

One aft and another - or more - as escort. In addition, a powerful tug  forward to maintain a  minimum speed of 12 Km/h over the ground. The rigs  must be in stable condition.

3. Legs that cannot be lifted and a part remains under the rig's keel :

Each case is to be studied separately to decide whether or not the unit is  allowed to transit the canal.

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B-Heavy Lift Ships Carrying drillers, or floating units, or large units are  submitted to the following conditions :

1. Be able if needed, to reduce, easily and safely, the draught by one meter ( 3  feet 3 inches) by way of discharging clean ballast water.

2. Be escorted by one or more tugs according to the decision of the Suez Canal  Representatives, after survey on arrival ( 6600 SDR per tug ).

3. The following additional dues are levied to cover special precautionary  measures for the safety of navigation and vessels :

1. 125% of the transit dues and in addition.

2. 2% of the transit dues, for each foot, or fraction of a foot in excess of the  maximum breadth prescribed by  Art.26 .

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C -  Self Steering Vessels Carrying Floating Units :

1. Vessels carrying on board floating units within an adequate period, before  vessels transit must introduce the following documents of their floating units :

1. Suez Canal Tonnage certificate and calculation sheets.

2. Recommended plans.

3. A detailed statement on the floating units loaded on board.

4. Cargo weight statement specifying its location on board and the way of its  loading as per cargo manifest.

2. In Case of absence of the prementioned documents in para. (1). the gross  tonnage will be calculated according to Linear dimensions, Length, Beam and  Depth.

3. Self steering vessels carrying on board floating units of 300 tons or more  SC.G.T. are subject to the following additional dues :

1. A 300% of transit dues of the floating units SC.G.T.

2. 2% of transit dues for each foot or fraction of a foot in excess of the  maximum breadth authorized by Art. 26.

4. See Circular No.  11/95  and  12/95 .

5. Such vessels will be able to join the second southbound convoy if their  dimensions allow.

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D - Navy Ships :

Navy and auxiliary ships belonging to different countries, an addition of 25%  of transit dues is to be added owing to special arrangements.

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E - Integrated Units :

Integrated Units may transit SC and berth in its harbours on the following  conditions :

1. A valid Seaworthiness Certificate issued by one of I.A.C.S. recognized by  SCA.

2. Additional dues of 25% of the transit dues will be charged.

3. Vessels to be escorted by a Suez Canal tug, on the first transit ( experimental  ) against 6600 SDR.

4. If unable to maintain convoy's speed, additional dues for slow speed vessels  are applied.

5. If the Integrated tug is disconnected and the unit towed by normal tugs, this  unit will be considered as towed vessel and dues for towed vessels will be  applied.

6. In Harbours :

Berthing, loading and discharging operations are possible , after getting  Harbour Authority authorization.

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F - Towed Units :

1.  All enquiries concerning the possibility and/or approval of transit of towed  units, drilling rigs, dredgers, etc ..., are to be submitted by the owners of the  units or their officially recognized representatives in Egypt or one of the  Suez Shipping Agency Companies accompanied by a General Arrangement  plan and all particulars of the unit : name, L.O.A., beam, draught, height,  self steering, etc. The application must reach SCA ( Transit Department,  Ismailia, Egypt ) not less than two weeks before the sailing of the unit from  its base.

2. Towed units are not allowed to transit the Suez Canal, unless they are  towed by a tug suitable to the size of the unit and powerful enough to  maintain a speed in the Canal not less than 12 Km/h over the ground, in  addition to the assisting SC. tugs, whenever find necessary by SC Officials  ( see  Art.101 ).

3. Any towed unit must be supplied with floating mooring ropes in good  condition and suitable in number ( more than six ) and size according to the  dimensions of the unit.

4. A responsible person and a crew of at least 10 persons must be on board  the unit during the transit.

5. A valid Seaworthiness Certificate for the towage through SC must be  available.

6. The unit must comply with SC Regulations.

7. A survey of the unit shall be made on the arrival, in order to take the definite  steps and make the final arrangements for the transit, if it complies with  SCA Rules.

8. The transit is subject to the circumstances of the Navigation in the Canal,  and the weather conditions.

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G - Special Requests :

Owing to the request of owners for the transit of vessels with beam over 245  feet, the SCA undertook careful studies to comply with the said request.

In this connection above mentioned, vessels may transit the Canal under the  following conditions :

1. A pre-approval to be obtained in good time prior to transit.

2. transit to be effectuated in good weather ( wind not exceeding 10 knots ).

3. One escorting tug against 6600 SDR for vessels with beam up to 233 feet.

4. Two escorting tug against 6600 SDR per tug for vessels with beam over 233  feet.