Suez Canal Authority (SCA) is an Egyptian state-owned authority which owns, operates and maintains the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...

. It was set up by the

Egyptian government The politics of Egypt are based on republicanism, with a semi-presidential system of government. The current political system was established following the 2013 Egyptian military coup d'état, and the takeover of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. ...

to replace the Suez Canal Company in the 1950s which resulted in the

Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, or the Second Arab–Israeli war, also called the Tripartite Aggression ( ar, العدوان الثلاثي, Al-ʿUdwān aṯ-Ṯulāṯiyy) in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel,Also known as the Suez War or 1956 Wa ...

. After the UN intervened, the three invading countries (France, Israel, and the United Kingdom) were forced to withdraw.

Establishment and organization

SCA is an independent authority having legal personality. SCA was established by the nationalization act signed on 26 July 1956 by the Egyptian president

Gamal Abdel Nasser Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, . (15 January 1918 – 28 September 1970) was an Egyptian politician who served as the second president of Egypt from 1954 until his death in 1970. Nasser led the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and introduced far-re ...

. The act at the same time nationalized the Suez Canal Company and transferred all its assets and employees to the SCA established by this act. The head office is located in Ismaïlia. In Port Said the administration building of the earlier Suez Canal Company is used. Its board of directors comprises 14 persons, including the chairman and managing director.

Assets, duties and responsibilities

SCA owns the Suez Canal and all areas, buildings and equipment pertaining thereto. SCA issues the Rules of Navigation, specifies the tolls for the use of the canal and collects them. The tolls are expressed in XDR and collected in USD, GBP, EUR and other currencies. In 2008, the total revenue in tolls was 5,381.9 million USD for the passage of a total of 21,415 vessels - resulting in an average toll of 251,314.5 USD per vessel. SCA is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Suez Canal, for the safety of the traffic and for all other matters relating thereto. According to the nationalisation act, SCA is bound by the 1888 Convention of Constantinople, which grants the right of free access and use of the canal at equal conditions to all ships, commercial ships and ships of war, in times of peace or of war, even to ships of belligerent parties. SCA is responsible for the computerized traffic management supported by radar, for the 14 pilot stations and their pilots. Since 1996, SCA operates the ''Maritime Training and Simulation Center'' for its pilots. SCA operates some 60 ships and boats, such as

tugs A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...

, dredgers,

crane Crane or cranes may refer to: Common meanings * Crane (bird), a large, long-necked bird * Crane (machine), industrial machinery for lifting ** Crane (rail), a crane suited for use on railroads People and fictional characters * Crane (surname) ...

s, and smaller boats. According to SCA's web site, its facilities also include 114 ferry connections with 36 ferry boats; the Ahmed Hamdi road tunnel; the Nile Shipyard; the roads alongside the canal; a silk production in a farm at Serabium using treated sanitary waste water for irrigation; water plants in the canal cities; 12,000 housing units; a hospital in Ismailia and emergency hospitals at both ends of the canal; 4 schools and various sports and recreational centers.

Revenues

In 2020, the total revenue generated amounted to 5.61 billion USD and 18,829 ships with a total net tonnage of 1.17 billion passed through the canal. Daily revenues are $15 million USD or €13 million. On 2 January 2022, SCA announced revenues of 6.3 billion USD for 2021 - the highest in the canal's history. This represented an increase of 12.8% over 2020. In total, 20,649 vessels flowed through the Suez Canal in 2021 - an increase of 10% over 2020.

Chairmen of the Suez Canal Authority

Since nationalisation (1956–present): *

Helmy Bahgat Badawi Helmy Bahgat Badawi (13 November 1904 - 4 March 1957) was an international arbitrator and a civil law authority who also served as the Minister of Commerce and Industry in Egypt and later as the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, both in the ...

(26 July 1956 – 9 July 1957) *

Mahmoud Younis Mahmoud Younis ( ar, محمود يونس; April 12, 1911 – April 18, 1976) was an engineer of the Suez Canal nationalization on July 26, 1956. He served as Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (July 10, 1957 – October 10, 1965). He also ser ...

(10 July 1957 – 10 October 1965) * Mashhour Ahmed Mashhour (14 October 1965 – 31 December 1983) *

Mohamed Ezzat Adel Muhammad was an Islamic prophet and a religious and political leader who preached and established Islam. Muhammad and variations may also refer to: *Muhammad (name), a given name and surname, and list of people with the name and its variations ...

(1 January 1984 – December 1995) * Ahmed Ali Fadel (22 January 1996 – August 2012) * Mohab Mamish (August 2012 – August 2019) * Osama Mounir Rabie (August 2019 – present)

References

External links