2015年5月18日,在埃及苏伊士湾,一名参观者在“中海印度洋”号集装箱船上拍摄甲板上的集装箱。 作为埃及经济命脉的苏伊士运河长163公里,连接南亚与欧洲水路,是世界最重要的航道之一。据了解,每年约有2万5千艘船只通过苏伊士运河,占世界海运贸易的14%,其中中国船只近千艘。 被誉为“航运业的A380”的集装箱船“中海印度洋”号18日抵达埃及苏伊士湾,等候第二天通过苏伊士运河。该船是迄今为止世界最大、最先进的集装箱船之一,全长400米、宽近60米,船体大小超过4个标准足球场,运力为1.9万个标准集装箱。“中海印度洋”号集装箱船船长周陈伟说,预计今年8月开通的新苏伊士运河将现有的单航道变为双向通道,船只能省去在苏伊士湾的停靠,可立即通过,节省了时间和燃油,有利于公司提高沿线货运的服务水平,为国家“一带一路”战略贡献力量。 新华社记者潘超越摄 A visitor takes video clips of containers on the deck of the "Indian Ocean" container ship run by China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) at the Suez Gulf, Egypt, on May 18, 2015. The current Suez Canal facilitates only one-way traffic since it is too narrow for large ships to cross both directions. However, the new canal, which is supposed to be inaugurated this August, will solve this problem by cutting the ships waiting time from 11 to three hours. Zhou Chenwei, captain of CSCL's "Indian Ocean" vessel, said that Chinese ships are among those which cross the Canal most. Since the New Suez Canal could save a lot of time and oil cost, it will help CSCL provide a better service for the prosperity of international trade along the line and thus make a contribution to achieving China's "One Belt, One Road" strategy. (Xinhua/Pan Chaoyue) |