Egypt signed a $22 million grant agreement with Japan to finance the construction of the first Diving Support Vessel (DSV) for the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), marking a significant upgrade to the operational and emergency-response capabilities of one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.
The executive agreement was signed under a grant provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and witnessed by Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, and SCA Chairman Osama Rabie, according to an official statement.
Valued at approximately EGP 1 billion, the grant will fund the construction and supply of a specialized diving support vessel, the first of its kind to join the SCA’s fleet.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Yusuke Suzuki, Economic Counselor at the Japanese Embassy in Cairo. The deal was inked by Ahmed El-Barbary, Director of Shipyards at the Suez Canal Authority, and Yamamoto Atsushi, Deputy Chief Representative of JICA in Egypt.
The project is part of broader Egyptian-Japanese cooperation and follows a series of bilateral consultations aimed at strengthening development partnerships and advancing strategic infrastructure projects.
Under the agreement, Japan will finance the construction of a multi-purpose DSV designed to enhance maritime safety, support towing and maneuvering operations, and significantly improve rapid response capabilities during emergencies, ensuring the safe and sustainable operation of the Suez Canal.
Minister Al-Mashat described the agreement as a “qualitative partnership” reflecting the depth and diversity of relations between Egypt and Japan across key strategic sectors.
She said the project aligns with directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to strengthen international partnerships and leverage Japanese technological expertise in support of Egypt’s development agenda.
“This agreement directly contributes to reinforcing the operational capabilities of the Suez Canal Authority,” Al-Mashat said, emphasizing the canal’s role as a vital artery for global trade.
Roughly 12% of global trade passes through the Suez Canal, making it one of the world’s most important maritime corridors. Al-Mashat stressed that continuous development of the canal is essential to maintaining its competitiveness and resilience amid global challenges.
She noted that despite regional tensions since October 2023, which sharply reduced shipping traffic, canal activity has begun to recover. Navigation revenues recorded positive growth of 8.6% in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, supported by a gradual return of stability to the Red Sea region.
Rabie highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the Suez Canal Authority and JICA, particularly in training, research, technical support, and technological development.
He described the diving support vessel as an unprecedented addition to the SCA fleet, significantly strengthening the authority’s marine rescue and underwater operations.
“The vessel will play a key role in search and rescue missions, underwater inspection, salvage operations, and emergency response,” Rabie said, noting that two high-power rescue tugboats, each with a bollard pull of 190 tons, are also scheduled to join the fleet next year.
The DSV is designed in line with environmental sustainability standards, operating on a dual-fuel system using diesel and natural gas to reduce carbon emissions.
It will be equipped with advanced diving and search systems, including two decompression chambers to support safe and efficient underwater operations, as well as a waste-treatment unit.
The vessel measures 45 meters in length, 10 meters in width, with a draft of 4.5 meters and a total displacement of 620 tons. It has a maximum speed of 12 knots and accommodation capacity for 29 personnel.
The vessel will be fully constructed in Japan using the latest maritime technologies.
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