Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority Admiral Osama Rabie.
Spokesman for the Presidency Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy stated that President El-Sisi was briefed on navigation traffic in the Suez Canal.
Admiral Rabie pointed out that during 2025, particularly in the second half of the year, the Canal witnessed a relative improvement and the beginning of a partial recovery in navigation traffic. This was in light of the efforts exerted to contain negative repercussions and enhance the competitive position of the waterway following the completion of the development of the southern sector. He further noted that the second half of the year saw the gradual return of large container ships to transit the Suez Canal. This is a positive indicator toward the resumption of such vessels’ passage through the Canal once again, amid the return of stability to the Red Sea region. He reaffirmed expectations of a further improvement in Suez Canal revenues during the second half of 2026, as some shipping lines return to their normal levels by the end of the year.
President El-Sisi also followed up on the executive status of the development of the South Red Sea shipyard, to review completion rates and implementation timelines. These efforts are part of the strategy to localize the maritime industry and strengthen partnership with the private sector.
In this regard, Admiral Rabie highlighted the latest developments in the construction of 12 deep-sea fishing vessels, as well as the completion of the construction of 6 maritime tugboats as part of a series comprising 10 “Azm-class” tugboats with a 90-ton bollard pull. Additionally, construction has been completed for another 10 maritime tugboats with an 80-tons bollard pull at the Suez Canal Authority’s shipyards.
The Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority also reviewed the executive status of the Authority’s completion of the construction of 10 river buses, in addition to plans to purchase and develop the dredger fleet to boost the Authority’s capabilities.
The President emphasized, in this context, the necessity of meeting the needs of Egyptian ports for maritime tugboats and various marine units through the Authority’s fleet, as well as developing and modernizing the Egyptian fishing fleet. President El-Sisi gave directives to continue implementation of the strategy to develop the Suez Canal, its navigational channel, and all its facilities and infrastructure. This aims to maintain its globally recognized efficiency and capability, given its unique position in global navigation and trade.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
