Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Osama Rabie inspected construction works of tugboats and deep-sea fishing vessels being built for the authority at the South Red Sea Shipyard Company in Safaga.
Rabie was accompanied by Chairman of the shipyard company Mostafa al-Degheishi and a number of SCA officials.
In a statement on Monday, March 9, 2026, the authority said the tour included reviewing progress in building three excursion launches designated for marine and Nile tourism services at the fiberglass factory of the Suez Canal Company for Modern Boats, a joint venture between the SCA and the South Red Sea Shipyard Company.
Construction progress has reached 70 percent, including mechanical and electrical works as well as interior and exterior finishing, the statement said.
Rabie also inspected the construction of “Azm” class tugboats with a 90-ton bollard pull, directing that the timetable be strictly observed to complete six remaining tugboats, after four tugboats have already been delivered to operate in the canal’s navigation channel under a contract to build ten tugboats.
He stressed the need to adhere to all quality and safety standards and contractual terms during the construction of two export tugboats being built for the Italian company NERI, expressing confidence that the company’s upcoming visit to monitor construction progress will help enhance cooperation and activate a contractual clause to build two additional tugboats.
The SCA chairman also inspected the deep-sea fishing vessel “Rizq 2,” which is being built as part of efforts to modernize Egypt’s fishing fleet through a series of 12 similar vessels built in line with the latest global standards and fishing technologies.
Rabie reviewed progress in international marketing efforts for the “Rizq” fishing vessels, which have resulted in discussions with several tuna-exporting countries through a specialized company regarding the management and operation of fishing systems.
He also noted discussions on potential cooperation with Australia in the field of joint fishing operations.
Rabie said the significant progress witnessed at the South Red Sea Shipyard Company in shipbuilding activities would not have been achieved within such a short period without the full support of the government.
He added that his regular follow-up on shipbuilding activities and expansion works at the company reflects the state’s commitment to boosting the shipyard’s production capacity and opening external markets for exports.
This has also led to allocating an additional plot of land adjacent to the company to establish a specialized factory meeting international standards for exporting tugboats, he said.
For his part, Mostafa al-Degheishi, chairman of the South Red Sea Shipyard Company, affirmed that work is progressing regularly across all company sites to complete ongoing construction works in expansion areas according to the planned timetable.
He added that these efforts are being carried out alongside the construction of various maritime units at the Egypt Tugboat Factory and the Fiberglass Factory.
Al-Degheishi said the company has recently succeeded in creating job opportunities across several fields and expanding into the shipbuilding market through cooperation with major companies in the sector, in addition to strengthening external marketing efforts to open new export markets.
