MEMPHIS REISEN

Suez Canal Authority steps up support for ships amid Red Sea tensions – Dailynewsegypt

In response to ongoing tensions in the Red Sea, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) is offering expanded services to mitigate the impact on ships passing through the vital waterway.

“The SCA’s companies and shipyards are ready to cooperate with agents by providing all necessary navigation, repair, and maintenance services that transiting ships may need when encountering breakdowns or emergency situations,” announced SCA Chairperson Osama Rabie on Monday.

The support goes beyond basic navigation assistance. Rabie emphasized the SCA’s capacity for repairs, including hull and damaged part restoration. He cited the recent example of the Zografia, a 55,000-ton Greek cargo ship struck by a Houthi missile on January 16th, which is now undergoing maintenance at the SCA-affiliated Suez Shipyard Company.

“The SCA will spare no effort to provide all services that maintain the regularity of navigation in the canal and the sustainability of global supply chains,” Rabie declared, adding that the authority remains in “continuous and effective communication with all of its clients to minimize the impact of the current conditions in the Red Sea.”

The Houthi group’s attacks on Red Sea shipping began in November 2023, purportedly in response to Israeli strikes on Gaza. Tensions escalated further this month after American and British airstrikes targeted Houthi sites in Yemen.