President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi receives Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Osama Rabie. Photo: Egyptian Presidency
Rabiee made his remarks during a meeting with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, during which he briefed the president on navigation traffic in the Suez Canal.
Rabiee said the canal saw a relative improvement in traffic during 2025, particularly in the second half of the year, marking the start of a partial recovery in navigation traffic, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.
He added that the second half of 2025 witnessed the gradual return of large container ships to the canal, signalling a resumption of such vessels’ transit as stability began to return to the Red Sea region.
Rabiee noted that this was due to efforts to limit negative impacts and strengthen the canal’s competitiveness as a key global waterway, following the completion of development works in the southern sector.
Since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, major global shipping lines have diverted vessels away from the canal following the attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait by Yemen’s Houthi group, which said the attacks were in solidarity with Gaza.
In recent months, however, major carriers have gradually resumed transiting the canal after a period of sharp revenue losses estimated at nearly $7 billion.
Suez Canal development projects
During the meeting, President El-Sisi also reviewed progress on the development of the South Red Sea shipyard, including completion rates and implementation timelines. The project is part of a broader strategy to develop Egypt’s maritime industry and strengthen cooperation with the private sector.
El-Sisi stressed the importance of meeting Egyptian ports’ needs for maritime tugboats and other marine units through the SCA’s fleet, as well as upgrading and modernizing the country’s fishing fleet.
Rabiee also outlined progress in building 12 deep-sea fishing vessels and confirmed the completion of six maritime tugboats, part of a planned series of 10 Azm-class tugboats with a 90-ton bollard pull.
He said construction had been completed on an additional 10 maritime tugboats with an 80-ton bollard pull at the authority’s shipyards.
Rabiee further reviewed progress on the construction of 10 river buses and outlined plans to purchase and upgrade dredgers to enhance the SCA’s operational capabilities.
In response, President El-Sisi directed that development of the canal, its navigation channel, facilities, and infrastructure should continue to ensure it maintains its global efficiency and capacity, given its strategic role in international navigation and trade.
Short link: