Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority has launched three new tugs at its Timsah Shipbuilding subsidiary in Ismailia and started construction of five more for the Red Sea Ports Authority, according to an authority statement.
SCA chairman Osama Rabie attended the 30 September launch of Khedma 1 for the Damietta Port Authority, Azima 11 for the Suez Canal Authority and Ezz El-Din Younes 2 for the SCA-affiliated Canal Company for Ports and Major Projects.
Khedma 1 is 18.6 metres long and 6.9 metres wide, with a draught of 2.2 metres at full load, bollard pull of 20 tonnes and a maximum speed of 10 knots. Azima 11 and Ezz El-Din Younes 2 have the same length, beam and draught, with bollard pull of 12 tonnes each and a maximum speed of 11 knots. Timsah also carried out keel-welding for five tugs for the Red Sea Ports Authority, marking the start of construction.
The programme comprises two 70-tonne bollard-pull tugs and three 20-tonne units for towing and pilotage operations.
“Developing Egypt’s maritime fleet is a strategic objective at the forefront of work across all the authority’s companies and shipyards,” Rabie said. Rabie also inspected repair and maintenance work on three 60-tonne bollard-pull tugs owned by the Damietta Port Authority — Abu Gendiya, Abu Zeid and Hedaya — as well as the 25-tonne bollard-pull tug Misr El-Mahrousa for the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Timsah has built 42 marine units since 2019.
The latest launches follow the introduction on 24 September of two Azm-class tugs, each with 90 tonnes of bollard pull, at the South Red Sea Shipyard in Safaga.
Timsah Shipbuilding was established in 1961 and is a subsidiary of the Suez Canal Authority. It operates shipyards in Ismailia and Alexandria and works in shipbuilding, ship repair and offshore support.
Canal Company for Ports and Major Projects is affiliated with the Suez Canal Authority and operates in port and major-project activities.