Egypt's Suez Canal has recorded a 34.3 per cent increase in cargo throughput and a 25.6 per cent rise in dollar-denominated revenues since the New Suez Canal opened in 2015 — growth attributed to the sustained support of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Marking the 10th anniversary of the expansion, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) showcased a decade of rapid development to a delegation of 26 ambassador-designates visiting as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' preparation programme. Vice Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the SCA, said the canal's continued progress reflected an ambitious development strategy. He highlighted major projects aimed at boosting capacity and efficiency, including deepening the canal's northern and southern entrances, constructing five garages on the new waterway, and undertaking the largest-ever upgrade of the canal's southern sector. Rabie also pointed to advances under the Made in Egypt strategy, which aims to localise the manufacture of harbour craft at SCA shipyards — including tugboats, ferries, patrol boats, floating bridges and other marine units — and urged the future ambassadors to promote these capabilities abroad as the Authority seeks new cooperation opportunities with leading global shipbuilders. He stressed that despite ongoing security challenges in the Red Sea, the canal continues to provide full maritime services and has expanded its offering in recent years to include maintenance, repair, crew changes, bunkering and marine ambulance services, in line with efforts to diversify income sources. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
