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Start of the construction of the Suez Canal.

1859 Opening of the Suez Canal.

1869 Cat Marine begins powering vessels 1950

in ports the world over.

1938 EMD diesel engines powered two tugboats

1954 that cruised and maintained the Suez Canal.
Widening the canal with Cat heavy

1956 earthmoving equipment. 1956
Three, new EMD diesel-powered

1962 tugs were put into service. A BIT OF HISTORY
Construction of the Suez Canal began in 1859. It
was complete 10 years later – originally a lock-free,
single-lane waterway, connecting the Mediterranean
Sea to the Red Sea. It was a daunting task. And at
the time, one that many considered impossible.

When the canal opened in 1869, it began almost immediately
to have a profound impact on world trade, making the
movement of international cargo faster and cheaper. Cutting
across the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt, the canal separates the
Ever Given: continent of Africa from Asia, providing the shortest maritime
Length: 400 m route between China and Europe. Although governance
Width: 58.8 m of the waterway has a troublesome history, it remains a
Height: 32.9 m critical route even today – estimated by some to handle
about 10% of current global maritime commercial traffic.

CAT EQUIPMENT GOES TO WORK
Suez Canal: As could be imagined, maintaining such a large waterway
Length: 193 km requires continual upkeep both then and now. In 1956, heavy
Maximum depth today: 24 m earthmoving equipment was used to widen the canal. Three
Maximum depth 1869: 8 m Cat D8 dozers and two No. 80 scrapers were purchased by
Locks: 0 the F.E. Whiteman & Son Co. It is believed to be the first time
heavy construction equipment was used on the historic canal.

According to Caterpillar Historian and Archivist Lee
Time: Fosburgh, “Our records indicate the contractor said that
It takes ships 11 to 16 hours the Cat equipment easily negotiated the steep grades. The
to transit the canal. contractor also noted that Suez Canal engineers, whose
experience had been with hand laborers, were amazed
at the size of the loads the scrapers could move.”

18 Cat Magazine