Cairo: Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Osama Rabie stated that the canal has shown its capacity to handle economic and geopolitical challenges, becoming a symbol of national resolve. Rabie made these remarks during the 15th edition of the International Maritime Transport and Logistics Conference (MARLOG), organized by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport from February 8 to 10, 2026.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Rabie praised the MARLOG conference's role, held under the theme 'Smart and Sustainable Logistics Corridors.' He emphasized that the canal has managed to transform crises into opportunities, even amid global challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ever Given grounding, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the navigation crisis in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb.
Rabie highlighted that the Red Sea crisis showcased the canal's resilience, noting 2024 as impactful, while the final quarter of 2025 marked recovery following the Sharm El-Sheikh peace summit's success in restoring regional stability. Navigation statistics for the first half of fiscal year 2025/2026 indicated improvement, with a 5.8 percent increase in transiting vessels and a 16 percent rise in net tonnage, resulting in an 18.5 percent revenue growth compared to the previous fiscal year.
Since the start of 2026, the canal recorded 1,315 ship transits with a total net tonnage of 56 million tons, generating $449 million in revenue, compared to 1,243 ships and $368 million revenue during the same period last year. Rabie also reviewed the SCA's 2030 strategy, focusing on administrative development, advanced training, and innovation.
He highlighted ongoing waterway development, including the southern sector upgrade project, which improved navigational safety by 28 percent. Modernization efforts included introducing new services such as crew change and maritime rescue. Rabie emphasized the canal's transformation into an integrated logistics system with comprehensive digital adoption, aiding local maritime industry growth under the 'Made in Egypt' initiative.
On the conference's sidelines, Rabie met with Saudi Ports Authority President Suleiman bin Khalid Al-Mazroua to explore future cooperation in logistics, shipbuilding, and port operations. Rabie expressed hope for strengthened partnerships, particularly in areas aligned with evolving maritime needs. Mazroua commended the SCA's role in global maritime stability and expressed interest in collaboration on infrastructure projects as Saudi Arabia upgrades its ports.