Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, and Dr. Khaled Al-Anani, Minister of Antiquities, attended today the authority's ceremony of the 150th anniversary of the Suez Canal's opening to international navigation. The ceremony was held in the new marina building, east of the canal in Ismailia.
The French and the Panamanian ambassadors to Cairo have also attended the ceremony along with Ambassador Abdel Raouf El-Reedy, the Honorary Chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, HRH Prince/ Hussein Toussoun, a number of global shipping agencies' representatives, maritime transport experts, members of the Association du Souvenir de Ferdinand de Lesseps et du Canal de Suez and representatives of local and international press.
In his speech, Admiral Osama Rabie welcomed the attendees, and started by congratulating HE Abdelfatah El-Sisi, the President of Egypt, and the Egyptian people on this precious anniversary that lives in the hearts and minds of all Egyptians. He also expressed his immense pride of the Suez Canal's vital role since its inauguration in 1869 until this day and all it has offered, along its history, to serve world trade and develop the shipping industry.
His Excellency stressed the fact that the Suez Canal has always been given the complete focus of Egyptian government throughout its history through adopting a series of developmental projects in the waterway, and the highlight of those is the New Suez Canal project. The project that succeeded in maintaining the canal's global ranking and improved the navigational services provided to the transiting vessels. It has also helped the SCA cope with the requirements of development in the shipping sector and be up for competition with other maritime routes.
Afterwards, the SCA chairman reviewed a number of the navigation statistics that demonstrate the importance of the Suez Canal for the world trade. He also stated that 1.3 million vessels have transited the Suez Canal since its inauguration, with 28.6 billion tons of cargo onboard, and generating revenues amounting to USD 135.9 billion.
And the statistics of the financial year 2018/2019 showed the transit of approximately 19 thousand vessels holding 1.2 billion tons of cargo onboard, and revenues of UDS 6 billion.
His Excellency also stressed that the SCA is a fully-fledged institution of an economic and developmental nature and a leading social role in the Canal region. He expressed that the upcoming phase aims to continuing the process of development and carrying out the directives of HE president Abdelfatah El-Sisi to set the development of the waterway as a priority by constructing bollards and waiting areas as well as upgrading the fleet of marine units as well as performing administrative and structural reforms in the SCA affiliated companies besides working on upgrading the shipyards classification.
He added that the development scheme extends to upgrading and developing the SCA fleet of dredgers, with two new dredgers are being built and shall join service by 2020. He also pointed out the SCA's interest in developing its work methods through digitalization of all operations with focus on the administrative reform, boosting performance, and empowering the youth.
Furthermore, he emphasized the SCA's responsibility towards the preservation of the cultural heritage of the old neighborhoods and historic buildings of the French style through continuous conservation and maintenance. His Excellency highlighted the current operation of turning the old administrative building of the SCA into a global museum that will be home to antiquities that date back to the time of digging the Canal. His Excellency announced that the estimated time of opening it is by the first half of the next year as per the progress rate of the restoration operations, so it becomes one of the most significant touristic destinations to those interested in the Canal's history, and to be one of the tourism boosters in the region.
The SCA chairman concluded his speech stating "And today, I can't but promise, and all the SCA workers, to exert all our efforts, not only to develop the Canal, but to develop its human and financial resources, and to capitalize on its potentials. We promise that the Canal will remain, as it has always been, a bridge to victory, development and the future… so it remains, as it has always been, a bridge to victory, development and the future."
During the ceremony, the attendees have seen a presentation on the history of the Canal, and marking its importance to world trade. They also watched a documentary on the highlights in the history of the Suez Canal since its digging until this day.
Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, and Dr. Khaled Al-Anani, Minister of Antiquities, attended today the authority's ceremony of the 150th anniversary of the Suez Canal's opening to international navigation. The ceremony was held in the new marina building, east of the canal in Ismailia.
The French and the Panamanian ambassadors to Cairo have also attended the ceremony along with Ambassador Abdel Raouf El-Reedy, the Honorary Chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, HRH Prince/ Hussein Toussoun, a number of global shipping agencies' representatives, maritime transport experts, members of the Association du Souvenir de Ferdinand de Lesseps et du Canal de Suez and representatives of local and international press.
In his speech, Admiral Osama Rabie welcomed the attendees, and started by congratulating HE Abdelfatah El-Sisi, the President of Egypt, and the Egyptian people on this precious anniversary that lives in the hearts and minds of all Egyptians. He also expressed his immense pride of the Suez Canal's vital role since its inauguration in 1869 until this day and all it has offered, along its history, to serve world trade and develop the shipping industry.
His Excellency stressed the fact that the Suez Canal has always been given the complete focus of Egyptian government throughout its history through adopting a series of developmental projects in the waterway, and the highlight of those is the New Suez Canal project. The project that succeeded in maintaining the canal's global ranking and improved the navigational services provided to the transiting vessels. It has also helped the SCA cope with the requirements of development in the shipping sector and be up for competition with other maritime routes.
Afterwards, the SCA chairman reviewed a number of the navigation statistics that demonstrate the importance of the Suez Canal for the world trade. He also stated that 1.3 million vessels have transited the Suez Canal since its inauguration, with 28.6 billion tons of cargo onboard, and generating revenues amounting to USD 135.9 billion.
And the statistics of the financial year 2018/2019 showed the transit of approximately 19 thousand vessels holding 1.2 billion tons of cargo onboard, and revenues of UDS 6 billion.
His Excellency also stressed that the SCA is a fully-fledged institution of an economic and developmental nature and a leading social role in the Canal region. He expressed that the upcoming phase aims to continuing the process of development and carrying out the directives of HE president Abdelfatah El-Sisi to set the development of the waterway as a priority by constructing bollards and waiting areas as well as upgrading the fleet of marine units as well as performing administrative and structural reforms in the SCA affiliated companies besides working on upgrading the shipyards classification.
He added that the development scheme extends to upgrading and developing the SCA fleet of dredgers, with two new dredgers are being built and shall join service by 2020. He also pointed out the SCA's interest in developing its work methods through digitalization of all operations with focus on the administrative reform, boosting performance, and empowering the youth.
Furthermore, he emphasized the SCA's responsibility towards the preservation of the cultural heritage of the old neighborhoods and historic buildings of the French style through continuous conservation and maintenance. His Excellency highlighted the current operation of turning the old administrative building of the SCA into a global museum that will be home to antiquities that date back to the time of digging the Canal. His Excellency announced that the estimated time of opening it is by the first half of the next year as per the progress rate of the restoration operations, so it becomes one of the most significant touristic destinations to those interested in the Canal's history, and to be one of the tourism boosters in the region.
The SCA chairman concluded his speech stating "And today, I can't but promise, and all the SCA workers, to exert all our efforts, not only to develop the Canal, but to develop its human and financial resources, and to capitalize on its potentials. We promise that the Canal will remain, as it has always been, a bridge to victory, development and the future… so it remains, as it has always been, a bridge to victory, development and the future."
During the ceremony, the attendees have seen a presentation on the history of the Canal, and marking its importance to world trade. They also watched a documentary on the highlights in the history of the Suez Canal since its digging until this day.