Table 1 Comparison between Strait of Malacca and Kra Canal
From: A descriptive method for analysing the Kra Canal decision on maritime business patterns in Malaysia
Element | Strait of Malacca | Kra Canal |
|---|---|---|
Distance | 1,200Â km longer | 1,200Â km shorter |
Journey Time | Up to five days longer | Journey reduced by two to five days |
Safety | High rate of piracy | Possibility of Thailand separatist attacks |
Cost Saving | Less savings on cost | Substantial savings on cost, up to US$350,000. |
Traffic System | Highly congested | Alternative route to avoid congestion in Malacca Strait |
Business Aspects | Not open to foreign direct investment | Open to foreign direct investment |
Vessel Accident and Collision | High number of vessel accidents (60 ship accidents in 2015, increased by 25Â % from the previous year) (International Shipping News 2016) | Alternative route to reduce vessel accidents in Malacca Straits |
Size | 805 km long, 65 – 250 km wide, and 37 m deep (south)/200 m deep (northwest) | The canal will be 2 way, 102 km in length, 400 m wide and 25 m deep. |
Environmental Pollution | Higher levels of marine and air pollutions | Creates environmental problems due to dredging and development activities (marine ecosystem) Potentially reduces global warming (air pollution) |
Control and Monitoring System | Share with three countries (Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore). Difficulties in making decisions on some issues. | Entirely under Thailand’s sovereignty in setting up canal policy without involving other countries. |
Vessel Size | Up to Malaccamax size | Up to Ultra Large Crude Carrier (ULCC) size |