President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has instructed the government to press ahead with the comprehensive strategy to upgrade the Suez Canal, its navigational channel, and all associated facilities and infrastructure, aiming to preserve the canal’s globally recognized efficiency and operational excellence amid its pivotal role in international trade and maritime transport.
The directive was issued during a meeting on Sunday with Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, where President El-Sisi was briefed on recent developments in canal traffic.
Rabie noted that the Suez Canal recorded a relative improvement and the early stages of a partial recovery in maritime traffic during 2025, particularly in the second half of the year. He attributed this progress to ongoing efforts to mitigate the adverse impacts facing global shipping, enhance the canal’s competitiveness, and complete the Southern Sector Development Project.
He added that the latter half of 2025 also witnessed the gradual return of ultra-large container vessels to transiting the canal, describing this trend as a positive signal of broader recovery, especially as stability returns to the Red Sea region.
Looking ahead, Rabie said Suez Canal revenues are expected to improve more significantly in the second half of 2026, as several major shipping lines gradually restore operations to normal levels by the end of that year.
During the meeting, President El-Sisi also reviewed progress on the development of the southern Red Sea shipyard, examining implementation rates and project timelines as part of broader efforts to localize maritime industries and deepen cooperation with the private sector.
Rabie highlighted ongoing work on the construction of 12 deep-sea fishing vessels, alongside the completion of six marine tugboats within a broader series of 10 “Azm”-class tugboats with a bollard pull of 90 tons. Construction is also underway on 10 additional tugboats with a bollard pull capacity of 80 tons at the Authority’s shipyards.
The Suez Canal Authority chairman further reviewed progress on the completion of 10 river buses, as well as plans to purchase and modernize the dredging fleet to strengthen the Authority’s operational capabilities.
President El-Sisi stressed the need for the Authority’s fleet to play an active role in meeting the requirements of Egyptian ports for marine tugboats and various maritime units, while also underscoring the importance of modernizing and upgrading Egypt’s fishing fleet.