President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has directed the continued implementation of the comprehensive strategy to develop the Suez Canal, its navigational channel, and all related facilities and infrastructure, in order to sustain its globally recognized performance in terms of efficiency and operational capability, given its unique position in global trade and maritime navigation.

The directive came during a meeting held on Sunday between President El-Sisi and Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, during which the president was briefed on the latest developments in canal traffic.

Rabie stated that the Suez Canal witnessed a relative improvement and the beginning of a partial recovery in maritime traffic during 2025, particularly in the second half of the year.

This improvement reflects ongoing efforts to contain the negative repercussions facing global shipping and to enhance the competitiveness of the waterway, alongside the completion of the Southern Sector Development Project.

He added that the second half of 2025 also saw the gradual return of ultra-large container vessels transiting the canal, describing this as a positive indicator of a broader recovery, especially in light of the restoration of stability in the Red Sea region.

Rabie further noted that Suez Canal revenues are expected to see stronger growth during the second half of 2026, as some major shipping lines gradually return to normal operating levels by the end of the year.

During the meeting, President El-Sisi also reviewed the executive status of the development of the Red Sea southern shipyard, assessing progress rates and implementation timelines as part of efforts to localize maritime industries and strengthen partnerships with the private sector.

In this context, Rabie highlighted the latest developments in the construction of 12 deep-sea fishing vessels, as well as the completion of six marine tugboats as part of a series of 10 “Azm”-class tugboats with a bollard pull capacity of 90 tons. In addition, work is underway to complete the construction of 10 more tugboats with a bollard pull capacity of 80 tons at the Authority’s shipyards.

The Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority also reviewed progress on the completion of 10 river buses, in addition to plans to purchase and upgrade the dredging fleet to further enhance the Authority’s operational capabilities.

President El-Sisi emphasized the importance of actively contributing to meeting the needs of Egyptian ports for marine tugboats and various maritime units through the Authority’s fleet, while also underscoring the need to modernize and develop Egypt’s fishing fleet.