Cairene Canal
On a busy day, more than 100 ships might pass through this canal connecting Cairo to the Red Sea. All these ships are laden with spices and textiles from Asia or weaponry from Europe - and each ship pays a fee for the use of the canal that goes right back to the Republic of Venice.
Purpose / Function
The canal facilitates trade between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. It was built after Venice began to lose its dominance in the spice trade thanks to sea routes around Africa and then the shift of focus to the new world. The canal was a great success and re-launched Venice into a dominant political power in Europe.
Each ship that passes through the canal pays a fee of 100 Venetian ducats, or equivalent in gold. The fee is collected at the entrance in Cairo, either at the start of a ship's passage through it or at the end. Ships must pay additional docking fees if they intend to resupply in Cairo, plus the city's tax for passing through the city. This makes using the canal quite expensive, but for a major trading expedition, it is more than worth it. However, the fees do mean that it is not used by smaller, independent ships or for typical passenger voyages.
Type
Canal
Owning Organization
