Osama Rabiya, chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, issued a statement on April 5, providing a series of factual clarifications and comments on the stranding of the giant cargo ship Longs in the Suez Canal and the world media comments.
In a statement, Rabier said that the Suez Canal Authority has been working hard to ensure the orderly navigation of the canal and has solved the cargo ship stranding crisis through its own professional ability. The Authority dispatched 15 tugboats, and nearly 600 personnel from all departments participated in the crisis management.
Rabie said that the resolution of Panama’s giant container ship crisis showed the world the unique model of the Suez Canal Authority to deal with the crisis and the sediment excavation technology used in rescue at sea. These technologies are not recognized all over the world because of their high accuracy and highest safety standards.
Rabiye said that with the opening of the new Suez Canal, the development of the canal waterway has not stopped. In addition to deepening and maintaining the original berths on the canal, the Authority is establishing a series of giant berths to increase the capacity of the canal in response to potential emergencies. In addition to the three urban development navigation control centers on the canal, the Authority has developed 16 navigation control stations along the channel to provide first aid services at sea and various rescue services.
Rabiye stressed that the Suez Canal Authority aims to increase maritime rescue capacity for some time to come, including the introduction of a large number of giant tugboats with strong traction, to adapt to the latest developments in the field of maritime transportation and the development of global shipyards to build giant cargo ships.
