Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority raises preparedness level at all sites, maritime units

CAIRO – 8 March 2026: Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), Admiral Osama Rabie, held a meeting with members of the authority’s Crisis Management Committee to raise the level of preparedness across all sites, maritime units, and technical facilities, the authority said in a statement on Sunday.

The move comes amid ongoing regional military escalation between Iran on one side and Israel and the United States on the other, particularly following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Rabie stressed the importance of monitoring safety procedures to enhance readiness at service and operational sites. His remarks came during an inspection tour of the authority’s pilotage services to ensure the smooth flow of navigation in the Suez Canal and assess the readiness of pilotage and marine crews.

He also highlighted the importance of effective communication with relevant bodies and crisis management centers across the canal’s three governorates: Ismailia, Port Said, and Suez.

The SCA chairman directed that maritime safety procedures be strictly observed during the boarding and disembarking of pilots. He also called for intensive training for marine crews on handling emergency situations through both theoretical and practical exercises.

Over the past two days, Rabie inspected several SCA work sites to monitor work progress and further enhance readiness levels.

During his tour, he reviewed the deployment of various marine units, including rescue tugs, escort tugs, and launches. He also examined the operational schedules of marine tugs to ensure the regularity of work shifts and verify the technical condition of the vessels.

Rabie stressed the need to maintain the readiness of marine units and conduct regular training exercises to ensure the proper technical condition of equipment and improve the efficiency of marine crews. He also urged strict adherence to safety and security procedures.

Additionally, Rabie inspected construction work on new marine berths. A new berth consisting of three U-shaped sections is being built, measuring 300 meters in length and 9 meters in depth, to accommodate new rescue and escort tugs.

Another berth, consisting of two L-shaped sections with a depth of 4 meters and a total length of 170 meters, is being constructed to accommodate new marine launches. Two existing berths are also being upgraded as part of a broader plan to develop the marine unit berthing area under the Supply Section of the Movement Department.

Rabie also reviewed the deployment of security personnel from the Suez Canal Security and Guarding Company, accompanied by several security leaders, urging them to remain vigilant and committed to their duties.

During his inspection tour on Friday, Rabie also visited the authority’s Hospital No. 6 in Ismailia to assess the level of medical services and the readiness of ambulance and emergency units.

At the hospital, he reviewed the preparedness of ambulance and emergency services, the readiness of the surgery building to handle critical cases, and the availability of necessary medical care through fully equipped operating rooms and intensive care units, as well as adequate medical and nursing staff.

Rabie stressed the need to make every effort to improve healthcare and treatment services, emphasizing the importance of raising the hospital’s efficiency and ensuring its ability to respond quickly to emergencies.

He concluded his tour by speaking with ambulance and emergency staff, highlighting their vital role in saving lives through the provision of urgent medical services and the effective handling of emergency situations.