The Waterway of the North Coast of Egypt is a historical stretch of waterway located on the Mediterranean Sea along the northern coast of Egypt. This region is one of the most significant maritime trading hubs in the ancient world, and its strategic importance has served many civilizations through the course of history. The Waterway extends from Alexandria in the west to El-Arish in the east, and its ports include some of the most important cities in Egyptian history.
In antiquity, the North Coast of Egypt was a major naval route connecting numerous ports and major seaports such as Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, and Alexandria. This allowed merchants to bring goods from the trading hubs of the Eastern Mediterranean to the Nile Delta and Upper Egypt, creating a highly important hub for international trade. During the Ptolemaic Period, the region flourished and was home to numerous prosperous port cities such as Canopus, Caesarea, Naucratis, and Pelusium. Its role as an international commercial hub only increased with the coming of Roman rule, with The Waterway playing a major role in the maritime economic network of the Roman Empire.