• The southern sector development project has been completed… and new shipping services have been introduced to meet the requirements of the current stage and enhance the competitiveness of the canal
ِAdmiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of SCA met with representatives of 23 major shipping lines and agencies, in the presence of the heads of the shipping chambers in Suez, Port Said and Alexandria, to discuss the impact of the beginning of the return of relative stability in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab region on the plans and schedules of navigation in the Suez Canal during the coming period, at the Authority’s headquarters in the guidance building in Ismailia Governorate.
The latest developments in the Red Sea
In his speech, Rabie stressed the Authority’s keenness to achieve direct and effective communication with all its clients to consult and exchange views on the latest developments in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab region, appreciating the important role of shipping agencies as a key link and partners in achieving common interests.
Many positive indicators
Chairman of SCA explained that the current situation in the Red Sea region is witnessing many positive indicators towards the beginning of the return of stability to the region, which makes the opportunity available to take executive measures towards amending navigation schedules in preparation for the gradual return of maritime navigation to its normal course.
Rabie sent a message of reassurance to the maritime community
Rabie sent a message of reassurance to the maritime community that the conditions are ready for the gradual return of maritime navigation in the Red Sea region, announcing the readiness of the Suez Canal to operate at full capacity to receive various navigation services for major shipping lines, expressing his understanding of the security concerns of shipping companies and shipping lines and their keenness to take into account the maritime safety of ships and marine crews.
Fixing pricing policies for all types of ships
He added that the measures were not limited to this, but the Authority was keen to deal flexibly by fixing pricing policies for all types of ships as they were before the crisis, and extending the work with discount publications, confirming the Canal’s role in supporting the maritime transport industry.
Develop the Canal’s navigation
Chairman of SCA explained that the Suez Canal continued to implement its ambitious plans to develop the Canal’s navigation despite the various challenges, pointing out in this regard the completion of the southern sector development project and the start of its actual operation during the coming period.
The southern sector development project in its two parts
Rabie emphasized the great importance of the southern sector development project in its two parts and the many navigational advantages it will provide, such as increasing the navigational safety factor and reducing the impact of water and air currents after expanding the canal by 40 meters to the east and increasing the depth from 66 feet to 72 feet within the scope of the canal expansion project, from km 132 of the canal numbering to km 162 of the canal numbering,
In addition to what the canal duplication project allows in increasing the canal’s capacity by an average of 6-8 ships per day and adding 10 kilometers, which will be added to the New Suez Canal to become 82 kilometers in length instead of 72 kilometers
Canal’s navigation rates during the Crisis
Chairman of SCA also reviewed the negative effects of the Red Sea crisis on the canal’s navigation rates, which were severely affected in light of security concerns and the tendency of many shipping lines to cross from the Cape of Good Hope despite the high costs of maritime transport in this route and its lack of navigational services, in addition to the increase in environmental risks.
A new navigational services
On other hand Bahaa Badr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arabian Gulf Company for Maritime Business and Trade EVERGREEN LINE, expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by the Authority to develop the navigational channel of the Canal and add a new package of navigational and logistical services that will have a positive impact towards encouraging major shipping lines to cross the Suez Canal.
Suggestion of providing temporary incentives
While Admiral Ihab El Banan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Clarkson, stressed the importance of continuing communication with all shipping lines and stakeholders in the maritime community, and suggested studying the possibility of providing temporary incentives to encourage ships to pass through the Canal.
As for Hani El Nady, Representative of the MAERSK Group in the Middle East and North Africa, he stressed the group’s keenness to return to crossing the Suez Canal again and its close monitoring of the positive indicators of the situation in the Red Sea region and its readiness to return again once the situation stabilizes completely.
Captain Mohamed Badawi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gulf Navigation Company, stressed the importance of holding such meetings periodically, considering that shipping agencies are a major partner in marketing and highlighting the ongoing development projects and various services provided by the Canal. He also proposed the possibility of granting incentives on a small scale, provided that they are for temporary periods and for specific types of ships.
CMA CGM : An important strategic partner
Tarek Zaghloul, CEO of the CMA CGM Group in Egypt and Sudan, stressed the strategic importance of the Suez Canal for the French group as an important strategic partner, noting that the canal witnesses the daily passage of some of the group’s ships, expressing the shipping line’s anticipation for the continued stability of the situation in the Red Sea region to make a decision to return to its various shipping services successively.
The maintenance and repair services
As for Ihab Fathy, the Operations Manager of the MSC Shipping Line, he touched on the maintenance and repair services provided by the Suez Canal through the shipyards and affiliated companies,
Pointing out that the Port Said Naval Shipyard received two of the group’s ships to carry out maintenance and repair work.
The gradual return of navigation
ِAdmiral Abdkader Gaballah Chairman Suez and Res Sea chamber of Shipping , expressed his hope that the coming days will witness a real breakthrough towards the gradual return of navigation to the region
Confirmed the role assigned to shipping agencies as a main partner in conveying the true picture of the current situation in the region to companies and shipping lines.
Return the Suez Canal to its former glory
For his part, Mohamed Moselhy, Chairman of the Alexandria Chamber of ٍShipping, praised the efforts made by the Suez Canal to achieve continuous and effective communication with shipping lines and encourage the return of navigation in the Suez Canal to its former glory.
The meeting also witnessed the participation of a number of shipping agencies such as ONE, HMM, COSCO , LETH ,INCHCAPE ,LPH and many other shipping agencies, said George Safwat, the official spokesman for SCA
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