Suez Canal chief meets new Panama envoy as Egypt seeks closer ties

Egypt is seeking to strengthen cooperation between Suez and Panama canals as container-ship traffic through the Egyptian waterway shows signs of a gradual recovery, the Suez Canal Authority said on Sunday.

Suez Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie met Egypt’s incoming ambassador to Panama, Ahmed Fawzy El Sherif, in Ismailia ahead of the diplomat taking up his post, the authority said in a statement.

Rabie highlighted the longstanding strategic relationship between the two canals and the importance of coordination in addressing climate and geopolitical challenges affecting maritime transport and global supply chains.

He said navigation reports had recorded a gradual recovery in container-ship transits through the Suez Canal, with several major shipping lines resuming services through the waterway instead of routing around the Cape of Good Hope.

He said several major shipping lines have resumed transiting the Suez Canal instead of rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, contributing to a gradual recovery in container ship traffic.

El Sherif said he aimed to strengthen communication and coordination between the Suez and Panama canals and explore the possibility of holding joint maritime and cultural events, the statement said.