Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday launched a 15 billion USD canal project intended to relieve pressure on the busy Bosphorus Strait by laying the foundations of a bridge over the planned route. According to President Erdogan, the Bosphorus Strait is under the greatest pressure of any waterway in the world.

Currently 45,000 ships a year pass through the Bosphorus carrying different types of cargo, and the city is under great threat of fire and destruction.

President Erdogan first announced the possibility of building the Istanbul Canal in 2011 when he was Prime Minister of Turkey.

The project is the largest infrastructure initiative in the history of Turkey.

Source: VOV5