The strategy adopted by the SCA, which puts the environmental dimension at the forefront of its priorities, which goes in line with the Egyptian state’s directions to achieve sustainable development through a clean, eco-friendly economy, as well as the efforts of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reduce emissions from the shipping sector, and encourage the trend towards running on clean, carbon-neutral fuels instead of fossil fuels.
· Over the course of 150 years of inaugurating the Suez Canal, 12% of the total world sea-borne trade transits the Canal.
· The Suez Canal can accommodate the different vessels’ types and sizes as follows:
62.2% of the total world fleet of tankers (fully loaded)
92.6% of the total world fleet of bulk carriers (fully loaded)
100% of the total world fleet of container carriers, car carriers, and general cargo vessels.
100% of the total world fleet of the other types vessels.
The authority adopts a new sustainable strategy to announce the Suez Canal as the Green Canal by 2030. The strategy includes:
· The Suez Canal Authority endorses the efforts of the International Maritime Organization “IMO” to extend the concepts of the green transition to the maritime sector
· The SCA is always keen to maintain the stability of the global supply chains despite the challenges worldwide
· The SCA initiated multiple initiatives towards the transition to a green canal
· The Suez Canal Authority is studying providing incentives for vessels that use green energy.
· The Suez Canal Authority conforms to the environmental measurements and controls by affording time and distance saves more than any other alternative route which contributes to reducing fuel consumption with rates ranging from 20% – 80%, and reducing the harmful emissions.
· The ongoing development works in the waterway (the New Suez Canal and developing the Southern Sector) contributed to reducing the transit and waiting time and increasing the navigational safety rates.
· Generalizing the use of hybrid systems (Solar panels – wind turbines) to produce energy for the navigation control station throughout the Canal which maintain the continuous operation of the essential devices for navigation and contribute to preserving the environment from the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
· Setting strategies to convert the engines of the Suez Canal Authority’s marine units to run on natural gas to reduce carbon emissions.
· We comply with the optimum application of marine safety procedures to avoid the pollution risks and oil spills.
· Developing the pollution control centers affiliated to the Suez Canal Authority and supplying them with the state of art equipment that integrate with the simulation systems specialized in containing the incidents of oil spills.
· We are concluding a deal with an international company specialized in solid and liquid waste collection and recycling from the vessels
· We obtained the approval from the president of Egypt on establishing the first eco-friendly marina in the Middle East region
· Suez Canal has contributed to decreasing the co2 emissions by 31 million tons in 2021 when compared to the alternative routes, saving fuel by 10.3 million tons, as well as contributing to saving 53 million tons of the co2 equivalents.
Kitack Lim, the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization “IMO”:
· The Suez Canal Authority has witnessed a significant development in the past four years
· The SCA bear added responsibilities with regards to incentifying the vessels to run on green energy as it is considered the most important waterway all over the world
· The Suez Canal plays a vital role in securing the sustainability of the supply chains
· The Suez Canal applied a number of measures to secure the navigation in the Canal, on top of which is the development project of the southern sector
· The IMO values the role played by the SCA in endorsing the green transition and decarbonization
· The COP27 summit possesses great attention from all over the world for the importance climate issues
· The IMO took the decision to establish a regional office in the Middle East based in Egypt
· We adopt a strategy targeting lowering the dependency of the vessels on regular fuel and accelerate the transition towards the green energy
· The maritime institutions should dedicate investments to the studies of the green energy
· Reducing the cost gap between the fossil fuel and green fuel is the most notable factor in the vessels transition towards the green energy
· The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization stressed that the long-term strategy of the Suez Canal to transform into a green channel will play an important role in promoting the trend towards green transformation in the maritime transport industry, pointing to the importance of the Suez Canal offering its successful experience and expertise to help reduce harmful carbon emissions.
Mr. Guy Platten, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS):
spoke about the importance of concerted efforts of all parties concerned in the maritime transport industry to tackle the challenges faced by the industry, especially the environmental challenges, stressing that green initiatives are an essential step to achieve the desired goals and reach a better world, appreciating the efforts of the authority to promote the trend towards sustainable, eco-friendly policies, and to turn the Suez Canal into a center for green maritime transport in the future.
