Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi directed on Sunday the continued implementation of a strategy to develop the Suez Canal, its waterway, and all related facilities and infrastructure to sustain its strong and efficient performance given its unique position in global shipping and trade.
Sisi made the directives during a meeting with chairman of the Suez Canal Authority Osama Rabie.
Presidential spokesman Mohamed el-Shenawy said the President reviewed a report on navigation traffic through the canal.
Rabie noted that during 2025, particularly in the second half of the year, the Suez Canal recorded a relative improvement and the start of a partial recovery in traffic, amid efforts to contain negative impacts and strengthen the competitiveness of the waterway following the completion of development works in the southern sector.
Rabie added that the second half of the year also saw the gradual return of ultra-large container vessels to transit the canal, which he described as a positive indicator of the resumption of such traffic as stability returns to the Red Sea region.
He said revenues are expected to improve further in the second half of 2026 as some shipping lines return to normal levels by the end of the year.
The spokesman said Sisi also reviewed progress on the development of the South Red Sea shipyard, including implementation rates and timelines, as part of efforts to localize the maritime industry and strengthen partnerships with the private sector.
Rabie outlined updates on the construction of 12 deep-sea fishing vessels, the completion of six tugboats as part of a series of 10 “Azm”-class tugboats with a bollard pull of 90 tons, as well as ongoing work on 10 additional tugboats with a bollard pull of 80 tons at Suez Canal Authority shipyards.
Rabie also reviewed the completion of 10 river buses, along with plans to purchase and upgrade the dredging fleet to enhance the authority’s capabilities.
According to the spokesman, the president stressed the need for the authority’s fleet to play an active role in meeting the needs of Egyptian ports for tugboats and other marine units, as well as upgrading and modernizing Egypt’s fishing fleet.
