Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority discusses localization of maritime industries with China Shipbuilding Trading Co.

CAIRO – 27 September 2025: In line with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directives to maximize the use of the Suez Canal Authority’s assets and localize maritime industries, Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, met with Mr. Zhang Jinming, Vice President of CSTC, a subsidiary of the Chinese conglomerate CSSC, one of the world's leading maritime industry companies. 

The meeting focused on exploring avenues of cooperation to develop the Authority’s shipyards and affiliated companies, said the SCA in a statement on Saturday.

The meeting, held at the Suez Canal Authority’s headquarters in Cairo, was attended by senior officials from both sides, including representatives of CSTC in Egypt and Africa, as well as key leaders from the Authority. Discussions centered on proposed areas of collaboration to upgrade the Authority’s shipyards and companies by adopting cutting-edge global technologies.

At the outset, Rabie reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to localizing the maritime industry across all sectors. He emphasized efforts to restore the leadership position of the Authority’s shipyards and companies through strategic partnerships with major international shipbuilders. Such partnerships aim to facilitate the transfer of expertise and advanced technologies, enhance technical capabilities, spanning equipment, supplies, and infrastructure—and deliver specialized training programs to elevate both administrative and technical human resources.

Rabie noted that the Suez Canal Authority possesses a robust industrial base, including multiple shipyards and marine service companies specializing in the construction and maintenance of various types of marine units. Leveraging its strategic geographical location, along with substantial technical and human capital, the Authority is well-positioned to meet domestic market needs and strengthen its regional competitiveness in the near future.

For his part, Mr. Zhang Jinming expressed CSTC’s keen interest in building a strong cooperative relationship with the Suez Canal Authority. He emphasized the importance of this partnership as a new strategic pillar reinforcing the broader relations between China and Egypt.

Mr. Zhang highlighted that cooperation with CSSC holds great promise for enhancing both operational and administrative efficiency at the Authority’s shipyards. By tapping into CSSC’s integrated solutions and vast experience in training, mechanization, technical consulting, and the provision of essential supplies and spare parts, the partnership could bring substantial value.

Concluding the meeting, Admiral Rabie directed the immediate launch of a comprehensive development study. This will follow the exchange of technical data and include field visits to the Authority’s shipyards and companies to determine the most effective pathways for development aligned with market requirements.

The China Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC) is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), one of the world’s largest and most influential maritime industry conglomerates. CSSC encompasses 47 subsidiaries, including shipyards, research institutes, consulting firms, and other specialized entities, operating across 150 countries on five continents.