Ashrsf AboArafe
* Lieutenant General Osama Rabie: “The Suez Canal is a major pillar for the stability and sustainability of global supply chains… and there is no real alternative to the canal.”
* Commander of US Central Command: “We value the Authority’s efforts in dealing with the repercussions of the current security challenges in the Red Sea region.”
* The American Ambassador in Cairo: “Restoring stability once again to the region is a necessity to ensure the sustainability of global supply chains.”
Lieutenant General Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, received Lieutenant General Michael Corella, Commander of the US Central Command, accompanied by Ambassador Hero Mustafa Garg, the US Ambassador to Cairo, and a high-level delegation of officials and representatives of the US Embassy, at the Authority’s headquarters in the Guidance Building in Ismailia Governorate.
The visit comes on the sidelines of the official visit of the Commander of the US Central Command to the Arab Republic of Egypt, and within the framework of joint coordination and cooperation between the two sides.
At the beginning of the meeting, Lieutenant General Osama Rabie stressed that the Suez Canal is a major pillar for the stability and sustainability of global supply chains, which have witnessed clear turmoil recently in light of the current tensions in the Red Sea region.
The Chairman of the Authority explained that the transit navigation movement in the canal was severely affected by the repercussions of the Red Sea crisis, as security challenges prompted many ship owners and operators to take alternative routes to the canal, which negatively affected the rates of ship crossing the canal, which is reflected in navigation statistics during the fiscal year 2023/2024, where it recorded The transit of 20,148 ships with a total net tonnage of one billion tons, achieving revenues of $7.2 billion, compared to the transit of 25,911 ships during the fiscal year 2022/2023 with a total net tonnage of 1.5 billion tons, achieving revenues of $9.4 billion.
The head of the authority touched on the impact of the current tensions in the Red Sea, which affect not only the Suez Canal, but also the maritime transport market, trade movement, and global supply chains, which proved that there is no real alternative to the Suez Canal, as taking alternative routes to the canal led to an increase in the duration of the sea voyage and higher operational costs. In addition to the harmful environmental impacts with the high percentage of carbon emissions, in addition to the overcrowding of sea ports and the delayed arrival of goods.
Lieutenant General Rabie pointed out that the Suez Canal continues to support its customers and try to reduce the impact of the current conditions by meeting the requirements of this stage through direct communication with customers and creating a package of new navigation services that were not available before.
He added that the canal’s development strategy is proceeding with rapid steps and has not stopped despite the various challenges, with the aim of enhancing the canal’s capabilities, raising its efficiency, increasing its competitiveness, and confirming its leadership in global shipping routes.
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The Chairman of the Authority stressed the efficiency of the maritime safety and security system for ships crossing the canal through the Authority’s accumulated experience in the fields of pilotage, maritime rescue, repair and maintenance services, and other navigational services, in addition to the full insurance it enjoys from the Egyptian Armed Forces.
For his part, General Michael Corella, Commander of US Central Command, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Suez Canal Authority in managing crises and dealing with the repercussions of security challenges in the Red Sea region, appreciating the Egyptian efforts in securing the navigational course of the Suez Canal and developing it on an ongoing basis in a way that supports the vital role of the canal.
For her part, Ambassador Hero Mustafa Garg, the US Ambassador to Cairo, stressed the necessity of returning stability once again to the region to ensure the sustainability of global supply chains and the global trade movement, expressing her hope that the situation will stabilize in the near future.
The visit included inspecting the Suez Canal Museum and learning about its various halls and the collections it contains that tell the history of the canal.
* Official spokesman for the Suez Canal Authority: George Safwat
