A consortium of seven humans and three artificial intelligences has unveiled a proposal to build two 116-kilometer sea-level canals through the United Arab Emirates, providing a viable alternative to the Strait of Hormuz and neutralizing Iran’s ability to threaten global oil shipments. The project, estimated to cost under $100 billion and be completed in about four years, would run from Fujairah Port to Sharjah Port Khalid, entirely within UAE territory, and would be capable of handling Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and ultra-large container ships.
The proposal comes amid persistent Iranian threats to disrupt shipping through the strait, through which about 20% of global oil passes. According to the consortium, the canals would save each VLCC 18 hours and 350 nautical miles of transit time, equivalent to $60,000 in time charter costs, plus significant war-risk insurance premiums. The project would also create a double safety net alongside the UAE’s existing pipeline infrastructure, ensuring continuous export of Gulf oil, gas, and goods while avoiding the Iranian coast by hundreds of miles.
Francis Sullivan, spokesman for the human/AI consortium, stated, “Our target was to see if we could build a canal system in under 5 years and costing less than $100 billion. The reason this has not been proposed in this form before is because humans and AIs have never been able to work like this before. If this is adopted, no ships other than Iranian vessels will pass through the Strait of Hormuz by around 2031.”
The design addresses previous barriers of cost and time. Conventional plans were deemed too expensive due to lengthy construction periods and massive workforce requirements. The new approach uses AI-controlled mega machinery, built in China, that combines laser, water jet, and zirconia cutting processes to excavate the canals. The twin corridors, each 83 meters wide, reduce the volume of waste rock. The machines also crush and laser-fuse waste material for reuse in construction. The project would use conventional equipment from day one on five starting sites, while the specialized machinery is being manufactured.
Geopolitically, the consortium envisions the UAE as the lead owner, potentially in partnership with Gulf Cooperation Council states, global energy importers like Japan, India, and South Korea, and China as builder and protector. A small Chinese interest would mean any attack on the canals would be considered an attack on China, providing a deterrent. The project would elevate the UAE to a regional powerhouse, making it the largest oil storage and trading hub beyond the Strait, and reducing adversaries’ ability to threaten energy transit routes.
Captain Richard Byrne, CCO of Green Growth Technology, explained, “We used our human team and three AIs to look at every technical reason a canal had not been built and we solved those problems. Everything we did was to enable the construction team to build two 116km long sea level canals. We decided on 2 canals which can be much narrower and produce much less construction waste. The AIs researched automated processes that could deal with sand, silt, and rock while using or moving waste material back to where it could be reused.”
The proposal includes automated oil spill response systems along the canal length, early warning and laser defenses given the canal’s distance from Iran, and modular machinery reusable for future projects. The consortium claims the project would cut build time by 50-65% compared to conventional methods. It contrasts its plan with a previous Znera proposal costing over $600 billion.
The consortium acknowledges the sensitive geopolitical implications, including potential Iranian reaction. However, they argue that with the UAE’s three pipeline systems and the new canals, the UAE could deliver anything the Strait of Hormuz can, without Iranian involvement. Negotiations are reportedly underway with influential Middle Eastern power brokers, and the consortium believes funding will not be an issue given China’s track record in mega projects, such as the recently completed 134-kilometer Pinglu Canal in four years.
As the world watches, this proposal could reshape global energy security and the balance of power in the Gulf. The consortium’s innovative use of AI and human collaboration may offer a blueprint for tackling other seemingly impossible infrastructure challenges.
