Headlines
Egypt reaps bountiful harvest from Suez Canal in 2021

Osama Rabie, the Chairperson of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), announced on Sunday that the navigation statistics of the canal in 2021 recorded new and unprecedented figures, achieving the highest annual revenue in the history of the canal — amounting to $6.3bn — and the largest annual net tonnages of 1.27 billion tonnes.
The SCA chairman explained that navigation in the canal in 2021 witnessed the transit of 20,694 ships in both directions, compared to 18,830 ships in 2020, recording an increase of 10%.
The total net tonnages also increased by 8.5%, reaching 1.27 billion tonnes, compared to the 1.17 billion tonnes recorded in 2020.
He added that the Suez Canal’s revenues in 2021 achieved a significant increase of 12.8% in dollars, recording $6.3bn, as opposed to 2020’s $5.6bn.
Rabie stressed that the indicators related to the volume of trade transiting the Suez Canal (represented in net tonnages) exceeded the rates of increase in the growth rates of global trade, despite the fact that the rate of increase in the volume of world trade freight transported by sea during the year 2021 amounted to 3.7%, according to Clarksons Shipping.
The rate of increase in the volume of world trade transiting through the canal was about 8.5%.
Moreover, the volume of container trade transiting the canal increased by 7.2% in 2021, while the rate of increase in the volume of container trade globally reached 6% during the same period.
Additionally, the increase in the volume of trade in bulk goods passing through the canal was 19.5% compared to 4.1%, which is the percentage of the global increase in the volume of casting goods during 2021.
Rabie pointed out that navigational reports in 2021 recorded a significant increase in the transit rates of various types of ships compared to 2020.
Container ships transiting the canal increased by 10.1 %, bringing the total number to 5,186 container ships, compared to 4,710 ships in 2020.
The increase in the number of bulk ships also reached 15.3%, with 5,893 ships recorded in 2021, compared to 2020’s 5,113.
This increase is seen as a boom in the general indicators of transiting bulk ships. The highest rate recorded in the history of the canal achieved the highest revenue, which exceeded $1bn for the first time in the canal’s history.
The Suez Canal also acquired about 15.7% of the total global seaborne grain trade, with a total cargo volume of 83.5 million tonnes.
Rabie stressed that the indicators of performance rates during 2021 reflect the success of the flexible marketing and pricing policies pursued by the authority in gaining the confidence of the navigation community and flexibly dealing with the changes occurring in the maritime transport industry in light of the challenges of the pandemic.
This resulted in recording the highest rate of attracting ships — up to 4,920 ships — and achieving the largest revenue related to marketing policies since its implementation, amounting to $1.1bn of the canal’s total revenue in 2021.
Marketing efforts, in general, played a major role in increasing the number of ships crossing the canal for the first time and reaching an unprecedented record of more than 1,532 ships, generating $597.6m in revenues.
He explained that these unprecedented indicators come in parallel with achieving promising results in terms of several domains of the authority’s ambitious 2023 development strategy, which is spearheaded by developing the navigation course.
Furthermore, he noted that the total rates of dredging in the project to develop the southern sector of the canal amounted to 7.6 million cubic metres of saturated sand, where approximately 6.5 million cubic metres of saturated sand was removed. This took place within a project in the Small Bitter Lake spanning 122 to 132 km.
Approximately 1.1 million cubic metres of saturated sand were removed in the expansion and deepening of the canal from 132 to 162 km.
Rabie revealed that the Suez Canal intends to adopt new work mechanisms and controls in the new year to support the preservation of the environment that is in line with the directions of the International Maritime Organisation to reduce carbon emissions by adopting some new measures.
The measures include providing incentives for environmentally-friendly ships and discussing ways to use renewable energy to declare the Suez Canal a ‘Green Canal’.
Headlines
House of Reps gives NIMASA green light to disburse CVFF –appoints audit firm to coordinate, monitor disbursement

“Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Legor Idagbo – Chairman ii. Hon. Henry Nwawuba – Member iii. | Mrs. Kehinde Bolade Olaiya – Committee Clerk.
Headlines
President Tinubu appoints Gbajabiamila Chief of Staff

An authoritative source in the Presidency confirmed the development on Thursday.
The source said the president finally made the decision after wide consultations on the contending candidates.
Gbajabiamila has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2012 and has just been re-elected to the House in the last elections.
The choice of Gbajabiamila by the president is not a surprise to many political pundits as he has been a very close ally to the president.
They are part of the brains behind the formation of the All-Progressives Party (APC).
He will now have to forgo his seat in the House of Representatives if he accepts the appointment.
Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila CFR, is a Nigerian lawyer and foundation member of the APC.
He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2019.
Gbajabiamila was born in Lagos in 1962 and attended Igbobi College for his secondary education and the University of Lagos as part of his education.
He is married to Salamatu Gbajabiamila.
Headlines
Maritime media, NUJ mourn as Ray Ugochukwu passes on to glory

“The death of Ray came as a big shock to the union.
“We are going to miss his courageous attributes and mentorship.
“He was also one of the pillars of the Lagos Council of NUJ and served the union meritoriously in his capacities as the Chairman of, the Seminar Committee; and as a Member, the Committee on Milestone Recognition of Media Icons In Nigeria.
“He spent most of his life in ensuring the advancement of Maritime Reporting as well as the welfare of Journalists.
“He worked in several media houses.
“Among his giant strides, he was a former President of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN); President, Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN); and a former Chairman of the Daily Times Chapel of NUJ.
“The legacies of Ray are indelible and will exist forever.
“May God grant his soul eternal rest” the Lagos NUJ said in a statement signed by Leye Ajayi, the Council Chairman and Tunde Olalere, the Council Secretary.
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