The Negev continental bridge: a chain in an intermodal transport system

This paper is a second follow-up discussion concerning the role, economic viability and operational characteristics of the Negev Continental Bridge in the fluid geo-political atmosphere of the Middle East. The two previous papers (Geoforum 8, 29-32 and 311-318) discussed the viability of the Israeli Continental Bridge as an alternative to the Suez Canal. Now, two years after the Canal was re-opened for use by Israeli vessels, the annual amount of cargo movement across the Israeli land bridge is still growing, although it is less economical than the Suez Canal. It is thus suggested that there is a need to view the continental bridge as one part of a chain in an intermodal transport system.