Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority chief, Italian shipping line ‘MESSINA’ discuss of cooperation in logistical services

CAIRO – 22 February 2024: Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Admiral Osama Rabie explored ways to enhance cooperation with the Italian shipping line "MESSINA" during a meeting with the company’s CEO Ignazio Messina and Executive Director Stefano Messina, via a video-conference.

The meeting comes as part of the Suez Canal Authority's constructive strategy to establish communication channels with all its clients, according to a statement by the SCA Spokesman George Safwat.

Rabie expressed appreciation for the longstanding relationship with the Italian "MESSINA," which has recently seen an increase in the number of vessels transiting through the Suez Canal despite the current challenges in the Red Sea region.

The chairman of Suez Canal Authority affirmed the authority’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with its clients and leveraging collaboration to open new horizons through partnerships and investments, diversifying sources of income and establishing logistics and maritime projects that serve global trade movement in the region.

Ignazio Messina, the CEO of the "MESSINA," expressed his eagerness to strengthen cooperation with the Suez Canal Authority. He proposed joint efforts in providing logistical services to elevate the Suez Canal's leading position. He also expressed a commitment to supporting the canal’s transformation into a regional hub for maritime and logistical services in the Middle East and Africa.

The CEO of the Italian shipping line also confirmed the company's intention to increase the number and capacities of its vessels transiting through the Suez Canal in the coming period. This expansion aligns with the group's policy focus and its plans to acquire and construct large-capacity container ships to operate on maritime routes in the Middle East and Africa.

It is worth noting that the Italian shipping line, "MESSINA," was established over a century ago. Since the 1930s, it has maintained cooperative relations with the Suez Canal Authority. One of the group's vessels was among the first to transit the canal after its reopening in 1975.