Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman, Admiral Osama Rabie, has highlighted the canal’s strategic importance to global trade as well as the authority’s efforts to expand maritime services, diversify revenue sources and boost its role in the international shipping industry.
Rabie made the remarks on Sunday in his address to a function marking World Maritime Day 2026 in Alexandria, organised by the Maritime Transport Sector, under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Empowering Maritime Excellence.”
Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir, and Alexandria Governor Ayman Attia attended the event.
Rabie stressed the importance of bringing together stakeholders from the maritime transport and shipping community to exchange views on current developments and challenges amid profound geopolitical changes in recent years.
These developments had directly affected global trade and supply chains, with their repercussions extending to navigation through the Suez Canal, he said.
Addressing these complex and evolving challenges required innovative solutions to improve the operational efficiency of maritime institutions and strengthen their ability to respond to unprecedented pressures facing the shipping industry, he noted.
The SCA adopted a balanced approach based on flexible policies and an ambitious strategy aimed at transforming the authority into one of the leading economic entities in the maritime transport, Rabie said.
The strategy focuses on localising maritime manufacturing and expanding the range of maritime services, he added.
International disruptions and changes, particularly those affecting global trade, had underscored the Suez Canal’s importance in securing global supply chains, he said.
Rabie stressed that the canal remained safe, with navigation operating regularly, and maritime services functioning efficiently, and pilots maintaining the highest levels of performance and readiness.
According to navigation reports, traffic through the Suez Canal improved in August, with 1,358 vessels transiting the waterway and recording total net tonnage of 68.3 million tonnes. Revenues reached $567.1 million.
In August 2025, 1,070 vessels transited the canal, carrying a combined net tonnage of 45.2 million tonnes and generating revenues of $326 million.
The Suez Canal had made steady progress towards diversifying its revenue sources by supporting the localisation of maritime vessel manufacturing, the SCA chief said.
The SCA has also introduced a package of maritime services designed to meet the needs of shipping lines and canal customers during vessel transits.
These include shipbuilding and repair, vessel bunkering, marine ambulance services and crew changes, among other services.
Rabie also reviewed the SCA’s efforts to support the development of several Arab and African ports.
