Photo courtesy of Suez Canal Authority
The 19-metre vessel, with a beam of 5.5 metres, will be powered by a 75-kilowatt electric engine and is being built at the South Red Sea Shipyard (SRSS) in Safaga.
According to the statement, steel cutting and shaping have started under the supervision of the Italian classification society RINA. Additionally, assembly of the hull blocks is now underway.
SCA Chairman Osama Rabie reviewed progress on the project during a visit to the SRSS.
River transport was introduced in Egypt in the 1960s to help ease traffic congestion, but its role declined in the 1990s as land-based transport expanded rapidly.
Over time, the river fleet was reduced to limited commuter services covering a small number of routes across Greater Cairo and parts of the Nile Delta, including Daqahliyah.
The government is now seeking to revive the sector through the introduction of a new generation of modern, electrically powered river buses.
In December 2025, the transport ministry said it planned to launch the country’s first amphibious bus linking tourist attractions with Nile cruises.
Localizing marine units
During the inspection tour of SRSS, the SCA chairman reviewed several concurrent projects aimed at localizing the maritime industry and reducing reliance on imports.
These projects include the new Azm production line, which is currently manufacturing tugboats with a 90-ton bollard pull, as well as fibreglass tourist launches.
The authority chief also examined a series of 12 deep-sea fishing vessels of the Rizk class, built using what the authority described as the latest global technology.
Hulls are complete on four vessels, with mechanical equipment installed on two, according to the statement.
Work is also underway on the hull of a fifth, which the SCA said is being built to the exact specifications as the Rizk 1, a vessel that is currently operating in Australian waters.
Chairman Rabie directed that all teams maintain rigorous quality standards, adhere to strict delivery timelines, and uphold international occupational safety requirements.
In a statement following the tour, the SCA emphasized that its progress in localizing marine unit manufacturing is intended to serve national needs across Egyptian ports and the river transport sector while positioning the country to compete in global export markets.
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