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Why was a lockless design chosen for the Suez Canal?

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Cargo ships travel along the wide Suez Canal in Egypt, bordered by sandy desert on one side and greenery on the other. — Suez Canal Ships in the Suez Canal in Egypt. One of the world's most important shipping lanes, the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

The decision to construct the Suez Canal as a lockless, sea-level waterway was based on the recommendation of a report that identified it as the most effective design for connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.1

Earlier engineering assessments, most notably by Napoleon’s chief engineer J.M. Le Père, had erroneously concluded that the Red Sea was 10 meters (33 feet) higher than the Mediterranean, which led to the belief that locks would be necessary to manage the difference in water levels. This error was widely accepted for many years until subsequent studies and the eventual project design confirmed that a sea-level, open-cut canal was feasible. By avoiding locks, the canal provides a direct, efficient maritime route for international shipping between Europe and the lands surrounding the Indian Ocean.213