In 1942, the first Suez Canal mobile bridge was built, which was damaged by a steamship and was demolished in 1947. In 1954, a new double swing bridge was completed, which was destroyed by the Egyptian Government in 1956 during the Israeli Invasion of the Sinai.
In 2001, the current El Ferdan Bridge was built, a two-leaf rotating asymmetric lattice metal bridge and a world record with 340 m between turning piers. Thus, each leaf has two spans, the first of 150 m between abutment and turning pier, and the second, of 170 m from pier to center span. In this way, rail and road traffic with the Sinai is restored, however, in 2015, the bridge was out of service as a result of the duplication of the Suez Canal.
In December 2018, the Egyptian Government began the works for the Project and Construction of a new bridge, twin of the existing one, over the second arm of the Canal; and the reinforcement of the existing bridge, since the new service conditions are designed for a double railway track, instead of a single track and two lanes for road traffic.
Owner: Egyptian Defense Ministry
Independent Check: Arenas & Asociados
Total length: 640 m. Deck width: 11.4 m. Main span: 320 m
Contractor: CMBD – Chengou Design and Research Institute – SINOMA – SRBG
Arenas & Asociados’ Role: Independent Checker and