- Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has introduced two domestically constructed tugboats, each with a 90-tonne bollard pull.
- This marks a significant step in modernizing its maritime fleet using advanced technologies.
Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has introduced two domestically manufactured tugboats as part of its modernization plan, according to China News.
Fleet expansion with local expertise
SCA Chairman Osama Rabie announced during Wednesday’s launching ceremony that the two tugs, built at the South Red Sea Shipyard in the Red Sea governorate with a bollard pull of 90 tonnes each, will enable the SCA to keep pace with rapid developments in maritime transport and meet the waterway’s operational needs.
The two tugboats are the first production of the Misr Factory of the South Red Sea Shipyard and are the first two of ten tugboats the shipyard will build for the SCA, Rabie revealed.
Rabie emphasized the SCA’s ambitious plan to evolve into a multi-activity economic entity and a key platform for diverse maritime and logistics services.
“A significant partnership with China has empowered the SCA to bolster its fleet and enhance its shipbuilding capabilities,” Rabie told Xinhua at the launch.
He said that the cooperation with China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd. was crucial in Egypt’s decision to invest in domestic tugboat construction.
The partnership with China involved a contract for six 75-tonne bollard pull tugboats, with three built in China and the other three constructed at the Port Said Shipyard in Egypt through collaboration with Chinese experts, according to Rabie.
“The construction of these three tugboats in Egypt was successfully completed last year, and all six vessels are now operational within the Suez Canal,” he said.
Building on the expertise gained from this collaboration, the SCA is now successfully constructing 90-tonne bollard pull tugboats in partnership with Egypt’s South Red Sea Shipyard, he added.
“This signifies a major step forward in the SCA’s ambition to become self-reliant in the manufacturing of its marine vessels,” the Egyptian official stated, highlighting a “political decision” for all marine vessels used in the Suez Canal to be manufactured by the SCA.
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Source: China News
