Admiral Ossama Rabiee, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, met with the representatives of 20 shipping lines and shipping agencies to discuss developments in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb region and their impact on global trade transiting through the Canal and the maritime transport market. The meeting, held at the Authority's headquarters, Irshad Building, in Ismailia Governorate, was also attended by Admiral Ashraf Atwa, Deputy Chairman of the Authority, and several members of the Authority's Board of Directors.
This meeting is part of a series of periodic meetings held by the Authority with its clients to consult on sailing plans and schedules for the coming period.
At the outset of the meeting, Admiral Ossama Rabiee emphasized the Suez Canal Authority's commitment to activating direct communication channels with shipping lines and agencies to exchange views and coordinate efforts to achieve shared interests and serve the international maritime community.
Admiral Ossama Rabiee pointed out that Suez Canal traffic statistics over the past few months have shown a relative improvement in the number and tonnage of transiting vessels compared to the same period last year. Canal traffic statistics from July to October 2025 recorded the transit of 4,405 vessels with a total tonnage of 185 million tons, compared to 4,332 vessels with a total tonnage of 167.6 million tons during the same period last year.
The Chairman of the Authority noted that Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit had a positive impact on the calming of tensions in the region and the return of many vessels to transit through the Canal. Canal traffic statistics for October recorded the return of 229 vessels, the highest monthly rate of returning vessels since the beginning of the crisis.
The Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority emphasized that the Authority has successfully increased safety rates in the waterway by completing the Southern Sector Development Project and deepening the 17-kilometer-long western branch of Port Said. This deepening serves the West Port Said Port and provides an efficient alternative to the eastern branch in emergencies.
Admiral Ossama Rabiee urged shipping agencies to reassure shipping lines and encourage them to resume transiting through the Suez Canal. H. E. commended the proactive step taken by the French shipping line CMA CGM in resuming transit of two of its giant container ships, each with a cargo capacity exceeding 170,000 tons.
Meanwhile, Admiral Ashraf Atwa, Deputy Chairman of the Authority, expressed his appreciation for the tireless efforts of shipping agencies, recognizing their crucial role as a vital link between the Suez Canal Authority and major shipping lines. H. E. reiterated the Authority's ongoing commitment to understanding clients’ expectations and requirements and continuously improving the quality of services provided.
For his part, Rear Admiral. Ehab El-Bannan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Clarkson, commended the Suez Canal Authority's efforts to maintain regular communication with all shipping lines and stakeholders in the maritime community. He suggested studying the possibility of offering incentives linked to the number and tonnage of vessels to encourage their transit through the Canal, anticipating a significant breakthrough at the beginning of next year, God willing.
Mr. Omar Garbo, representative of the Maersk shipping line, affirmed the group's commitment to increasing its investments in Egypt, given the unlimited support from the political leadership. He noted the fruitful meeting between the group's chairman, Mr. Robert Uggla, and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi last month.
Meanwhile, Captain Mohamed Badawi, representative of the Gulf Agency, emphasized the need to coordinate with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to clarify the positive developments in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb region and convey them to the international maritime community as direct messages of reassurance. He also called for a study on integrating the Suez Canal's role with smart transport projects related to transit trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The Gulf Agency representative also praised the Suez Canal Authority's efforts to develop and modernize its fleet, which has given it a more sophisticated appearance and raised the quality of services provided. He suggested the Authority's contribution to developing the logistics services offered by shipping agencies to vessels transiting through the Canal, through speed boats built in the Authority's shipyards and companies, in cooperation with some financing entities.
Mr. Tariq Zaghloul, CMA CGM Egypt & Sudan Cluster CEO, emphasized the strategic relationship between the French shipping line and the Suez Canal Authority, considering the Suez Canal a true turning point in the development and expansion of the shipping line's activity from a regional to a global scale.
The CEO of CMA CGM also affirmed that there is no alternative to the Suez Canal, a stance reflected in the group's commitment to transiting through the Canal. He anticipated an increase in the group's voyages through the Suez Canal in the coming period, especially with the group's expansion plans and increased business volume through the construction of new vessels.
Mr. Mohamed El-Saeed, representative of LETH Egypt, praised the Suez Canal Authority's marketing and pricing policies, as well as the incentives and toll reductions offered to encourage container ships to transit through the Canal. He anticipated an increase in Canal traffic volumes in the coming period.
Mr. Waseem Shoukry, representative of Wilhelmsen, called for studying new incentives to attract oil tankers, cargo ships, and bulk carriers, which do not require significant time to adjust their sailing schedules.
Ms. Yasmine ElNashar, representative of the shipping line HAPAG-LIOYD, reaffirmed the group's keenness to monitor developments in the Red Sea region, noting the importance of the Suez Canal Authority regularly publishing of positive indicators, as this carry credibility and reassure shipping lines.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ehab Fathy, Operations Manager of the shipping line MSC in the Suez Canal region of Egypt, anticipated a swift return of southbound vessels in the coming period, given the improved stability in the region.
Mr. Amr Kandil, representative of the shipping agency LBH, stressed that the current stability presents an opportunity to attract more bulk carriers and tankers to transit through the Suez Canal. He also emphasized the importance of focusing on conveying positive messages from captains of ships transiting through the Canal, as this has a positive impact on shipping lines.
Mr. Abdel Aziz Nabil, representative of Inchcape Shipping Agency, was keen to shed light on the positive indicators, aiming to provide a realistic picture of the evolving situation in the region, which has helped retain many clients and attract new ones, including “BYD” shipping line. He also pointed out that the high cost of marine insurance for transiting the region remains a significant obstacle and a major reason for the delay in many shipping lines resuming their Suez Canal operations.
On his part, Consultant Ahmed Farouk, representative of Arabian Gulf Marine Trading Co affirmed that EVERGREEN shipping line is ready to resume transiting through the Suez Canal as soon as the situation in the region stabilizes completely and permanently.
Mr. Hani Al-Salami, representative of COSCO Shipping Agency, indicated that the coming period will witness radical changes in the international maritime community, including a decrease in freight rates and a shift in the supply and demand equation. This, he believes, will contribute to the return of many shipping lines to the Suez Canal, especially with the return of stability to the region.
Mr. Mahmoud El Kady, KADMAR agency, addressed the importance of joint coordination between the Suez Canal Authority and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding the reclassification of the Red Sea as a high-risk area. He also stressed the need to offer incentives to other categories of the global maritime fleet, such as oil tankers, cruise yachts, and bulk carriers, which do not require lengthy adjustments to their sailing schedules.
Mr. Ashraf Sami, Yang Ming agency, concurred, emphasizing the necessity of engaging with insurance companies and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) to discuss the reasons for maintaining high insurance premiums and calculating the cost of risks associated with transiting through the Red Sea.
On her part, Ms. Amany Helmy, representative of Dominion Shipping Agency, expressed optimism about clients' interest in positive indicators in the Red Sea region. These include the inclusion of several passenger shipping lines transiting through the Suez Canal in their schedules starting next year, which will contribute to improved performance indicators of the Suez Canal and the region's ports.
The Dominion representative also called for the publication of periodic statistics on ship transits through the Canal as a positive indicator and an effective marketing tool to reassure clients.
Mr. Magdy Mostafa, representative of Noatum Maritime, affirmed that the return of vessels to transit through the Suez Canal is inevitable, pointing to the positive results achieved by the agency in attracting 100 vessels to transit through the Canal since the beginning of the year, a number expected to increase to 130 by the end of the year.
The Noatum Maritime representative called for incentives and toll reductions for vessels operating on natural gas, given the Authority's focus on environmentally friendly green policies.
Mr. Atef El-Tanawy, representative of Crystal Shipping Agency, praised the marketing and pricing policies adopted by the Authority, which he said are tailored to the needs of vessels transiting through the Canal.
The Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority concluded the meeting by emphasizing the immediate review of all submitted proposals and inviting all shipping lines to conduct trial voyages of their container ships through the Suez Canal.
