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Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety (EAFMS)

Lighthouses (Pharos)

Egypt took for so many years ago care of establishment of lighthouses, as a good example, we have Alexandria Tower, one of the ancient Seven Wonders, Lighthouses are used to facilitate the navigation in the night and day. It shortened the length of journey to half its duration.

Aims

  • Locate ports from distance
  • Position vessels while navigating
  • Facilitate coastal shipping
  • Identify ports approaches and entrances
  • Locate shoals waters and submerged islands which may endanger safety of navigation; ex: Red Sea Islands.

Work Mechanism

Each lighthouse has its distinct sign which could be recognized by seafarers from distance through its shape and color by day or its flashes characteristics (range, color, intervals) by night. It is measured in nautical miles. Lighthouses are put on a few minutes before sunset and are off a few minutes after sunrise and always on during mist.

Lighthouses Types

Manned Lighthouses

Has a staff of supervisors who works in shifts. At sunset, it is lighted by electricity

Unmanned Lighthouses

Use solar energy for lighting.
Lighthouses are monitored and controlled by a main control center in Max, Alex equipped to identify and repair their troubleshooting.

Mediterranean Sea Lighthouses

Mediterranean Sea Lighthouses
Ras Shakik
Constructed in 1987, renewed in 1992
Ras El Teen
Constructed in 1848, modified in 1919, provided with electricity in 1954 and last modification in 1993
Ras Rachid
Constructed in 1870 and was replaced twice, the first in 1967 and the second in 1991 in the western bank of Rachid branch
El Borolous
Constructed in 1870, maintained and renewed in 1932 and a new one built in 1992
Damietta
Constructed in 1870, renewed in 1992
Port Said
Constructed in 1886, renewed in 1902 and 1923 and a new one built in 1992
El Arish
Constructed in 1997

Red Sea Lighthouses

Ain EL Sokhna Red Sea Lighthouses
Constructed in 1987
Abu Darag
Constructed in 1926 and renewed in 1987
Zafarana
Constructed in 1862, modified in 1930 and renewed in 1987
Ras Ghareb
Constructed in 1871, modified in 1928 and a new one was built in 1987
Um El Sayyed
Constructed in 1987
Kad Ben Haddan
Constructed in 1987


Remote Lighthouses

El Ashrafy

Constructed in 1862, a new one was built in 1940 and renewed in 1987

Shaker (Shedwan)

Constructed in 1889, modified in 1935, hit ten in 1967 war and renewed in 1987

El Akhaween

Constructed in 1883, modified in 1906 and renewed in 1993

Abu El Kizan

Constructed in 1863, a new one was built in 1931 and renewed in 1993