Admiral Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority, discussed ways of promoting future cooperation with Maersk Group, during his meeting with Mr. Vincent Clerc, Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, Ms. Rabab Boulos, Chief Operating Officer, Member of the Executive Board of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, Mr. Ahmed Hassan, Vice President of Operations of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, and Mr. Hani El-Nady, Representative of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group in the Middle East and North Africa, via video conference.
The meeting witnessed discussing the future navigation plans in light of the positive indicators of the situation in the Red Sea.
At the outset of the meeting, Admiral Rabiee stressed the depth of the strategic relations between the SCA and Maersk Group, which is demonstrated clearly in the outcomes of the fruitful meeting between President Abdel Fattah El-sisi and Mr. Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group.
H.E. added that in line with the directives of the political leadership to strengthen this strategic partnership, the SCA is discussing ways of promoting cooperation with Maersk Group in new fields like ship scrapping, container maintenance and repair, shipyards development and logistical activities among other fields.
H.E. also emphasized that this is an opportune moment to return to transiting through the Suez Canal and seriously consider amending navigation schedules as well as execute experimental voyages of container ships affiliated to the Group.
On his part, Mr. Vincent Clerc, Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, expressed his appreciation for the trust of the Egyptian leadership and its unlimited support to further the strategic relations between the SCA and the Group.
Clerc explained that Maersk Group is closely monitoring the positive security developments in the Red Sea region and its impact on freedom of navigation in it.
He also pointed out that the Group has the safety and security of seafarers as its top priority, and commits to the highest levels of maritime safety with its clients upon arranging navigation schedules, highlighting in this regard that the Group is still studying the suitable time for navigating in the Bab Al-Mandab region in consideration of maritime safety and security standards.
Clerc stressed the Group's keenness on taking the initiative to fully return to the Suez Canal and Bab Al-Mandab for the unique significance of the Canal. That is after deliberations with the SCA on the return mechanisms through holding bilateral discussions between both parties and careful studying of the security situation in the region.
He expressed in this regard the Group's wish to hold a meeting bringing together the Group's executive leadership with a team from the SCA at the latter's headquarters to discuss the return to transiting through the Suez Canal.
On her part, Ms. Rabab Boulos, Chief Operating Officer, Member of the Executive Board of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, stated that the Group's decision to return to transiting through Bab Al-Mandab will not be by means of executing experimental voyages, but by a full return of navigation in the region as the first shipping line amending its navigation schedules and ushering in the return of the situation back to normal.
On his part, Mr. Hani El-Nady, Representative of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group in the Middle East and North Africa, clarified that the upcoming period will witness a promotion of the bilateral relations between both parties not only on the navigational level, but by discussing ways of further cooperation in other fields in the future.