The image of a massive ship being dug out by a seemingly miniscule excavator is one that is not
easy to forget. Memes of this image swept the internet. The realization that this excavator
was approximately twice the height of an average man, began to paint a picture of the immense size
of the ships which pass through the Suez Canal. At 400 meters long, the shipped dubbed the Ever
Given is among the world s largest. However, ships of this size are not an uncommon site in the Suez
Canal. Just how much does global trade depend on strategic chokepoints such as the Suez Canal
and how has control over these prime areas of real estate changed through the years?
While the memes spread like wildfires, so to did the panic among those involved in shipping
industries. Images of lengthy lines of transport ships waiting for a resolution to the blockage
were often accompanied by maps highlighting the additional 7000 kilometers ships would need to
travel to reach Europe from Asia now that the 192 kilometer Canal was closed for business and ships
would instead have to traverse the southern reaches of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope.
With the speed at which information travels over data cables, and with packages arriving
at your doorstep, sometimes only hours after ordering, it can be easy to forget
the immense amount of goods which still must travel by ship to reach their destination.
As reported by the BBC, shipping expert Lloyd s List calculated the
goods shipped through the Suez Canal to be valued at 9.6 billion dollars per day.
Currently managed by Egypt, the Suez Canal is one of the world s oldest,
and most valuable chokepoints. Beginning in 1888 the Suez Canal was designated as a neutral zone
although it was both protected by the British and administered by British and French authorities.
The location became vital in both world wars and was defended at great cost.
Ultimately, Egypt nationalized the Canal in 1956 causing the Suez Crisis,
with the canal playing a central role in international politics and war many times since.
VisualCapitalist identifies 8 waterways as being primary choke points for the world.
These strategic passages allow for the flow of goods and military personnel on a grand scale.
The fact that many of these were once held by the British Empire provides an important key to
understanding their domination of the 1800s. These 8 primary choke points include:
The Suez Canal: through which roughly 1 billion tons of cargo flows each year.
The Panama Canal: providing a critical connection between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans,
allowing the passage of 252 millions tons of goods each year.
The Strait of Malacca: located in south-east Asia and providing access to the South China Sea,
this chokepoint accounts for 25% of all traded goods.
Malacca came under British sovereignty in 1824 and achieved independence in 1957.
The Strait of Hormuz: at the southern edge of the Persian Gulf is vital to the world s oil
trade with 30% of all oil that is traded by sea passing through the narrow strait.
The Bab el-Mandeb: is the southern access point for the Red Sea serving as a secondary
gate to the Suez Canal. Britain asserted ownership in 1857 and retained it until 1967.
The Cape of Good Hope: is not a narrow passage between two land masses such as most on this list,
but rather is a safe haven amidst turbulent waters where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.
4.9 billion barrels of oil pass through this checkpoint each day
and was under direct British control until 1910. The Turkish Straits: consisting of the Dardanelles
and Bosphorus provide the key checkpoint for Russian oil travelling through
the Black Sea into the Mediterranean and throughout the rest of the world.
The Strait of Gibraltar: lies on the western entrance to the Mediterranean Sea
and is traversed by approximately 300 ships each day and has been under British control since 1713.
These 8 Chokepoints control a vast amount of the world s trade have tremendous strategic
value in times of war. It is not surprising that controlling several of these checkpoints
allowed the British to control nearly a quarter of the globe.
For those interested in learning about an ancient prophecy which foretold the British
descended peoples holding the gates of their enemies strategic chokepoints
be sure to watch our telecast Hong Kong in Prophecy
or review our free booklet The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.