Speakers

Dr Amr  Z. Hamouda
Professor of Marine Geology and Geophysics, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries

Biography:

Amr Zakaria Mohamad Hamouda is a Professor of Marine Geology and Geophysics at the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF), Division of Marine Environment, Mediterranean Branch in Alexandria, Egypt. He obtained his PhD in Geophysics from Alexandria University. He was Chairman of Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) of the NIOF; Member of Strategic Planning and Technical Support Center at the Ministry of Higher Education and the State for Scientific Research; and Minister Advisor at the Ministry of Higher Education and the State for Scientific Research. He is a member of several committees, such as the special committee to make an environmental study for the Eastern Harbor area and the Citadel in Alexandria, and to study the sedimentation methods in the Eastern Harbor; the German–Egyptian Committee for renewable energy and environmental protection; and the Scientific Committee on Ocean Research (SCOR). He is also a member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU); and the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER). He worked on different projects, including the geoelectrical study on underground water using different electrical methods in Northern Wadi El Natrun; and the study on Neotectonics setting of the Red Sea Region and Qena–Safaga district. He attended several workshops and conferences, such as the workshop on Marine Constituent Dynamics in Coastal Egypt organized by Coastal Carolina University, NIOF and Coastal Research Institute; and the conference on Sustainable Development in North Sinai organized by the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology. His publications include “Geological Implications of Acoustic Imagery of the Recent Seabed Textures in the Eastern Harbor, Alexandria” published in The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research.

Abstract:

The Emerging Situation of Submerged Ancient Sites at the Eastern Harbor

Ahmed FEKRY

Suzan EL-GHARABAWY

Amr HAMOUDA

Historical records show that natural phenomena, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, have destroyed our heritage, in addition to settlements built along the Eastern Harbor. It is disappointing how recent depositional activities bury submerged antiquities. The remains of the submerged ancient harbor is harmed by fishermen and by the construction of new structures at the current Eastern Harbor. The border of the submerged ancient harbor was discovered on the seafloor using side scan sonar. 

This study focuses on submerged sites along the offshore coastal settings that are affected by human-influenced geohazards involving sediment destabilization and remobilization. Some settlements have been impacted by simple sea-level rise and/or damaged by powerful sudden storms. Recent observations have shown that sediment failure in low-lying coastal settings can also be directly influenced by human activity over submerged antiquities, especially where sites are positioned on weak vulnerable substrates. It is important to build a national project to protect our wealth, such as preventing the ancient Alexandria Lighthouse from sinking, to save our ancient heritage.