In this Sept. 14, 1956 file photo, the Greek cargo Tasmania anchored in the harbor of Port Said, Egypt, waits to sail toward Suez with the first Egyptian piloted convoy after midnight (AP)
In this Aug. 11, 1956 file photo, an Egyptian soldier stands guard as the Argentine cargo ship Mabel Ryan sails through the Suez Canal south to the city of Suez (AP)
This May 26, 1953 file photo shows an aerial view of the Suez Canal Zone near Ismailia, Egypt (AP)
In this 1935 file photo, passengers take in the view from one of the steamers passing along the Suez canal in Egypt (AP)
In this Jan. 27, 1968 file photo, carrying Electronic detecting devices, Egyptian Suez Canal authority boats explore the waterway, near Ismailia to detect sunken obstacles in preparation for clearing an exit to enable sixteen stranded ships to sail away (AP)
On 26 July 1956, President Gamal Abdel Nasser delivered a speech in Alexandria's Mansheya neighbourhood where he announced the nationalisation of the canal; Nasser's announcement sparked the famed Suez Crisis of 1956 (Photo courtesy of Library of Alexandria official website)
Egyptian government officials entering Suez Canal headquarters on 26 July 1956; the decision to nationalise the canal yielded the tripartite aggression of Britain, France and Israel (Photo Courtesy of Suez Canal authority website)
In this June 18, 1956 file photo, Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser, right, helps raise the flag of Egypt over the navy house in Port Said, Egypt. The flag-raising was part of ceremony in which Egypt formally took over Guardianship of the Suez Canal Zone, the 101-mile lifeline between East and West (AP)
In this 1956 file photo, Egyptian President Gamal Nasser, fourth from left, salutes as he watches the parade of Egyptian troops who are to take over the Suez Canal zone from the British (AP)
In this June 18, 1956 file photo, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser waves in response to cheering supporters as he moves through Port Said to raise the Egyptian flag over the Navy House (AP)
In this June 13, 1956 file photo, the Egyptian flag has replaced the British ensign on top of Navy house in Port Said in the Suez Canal area as a detachment of the Egyptian Navy marches to take over the port facilities (AP)