Arab Finance: Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Osama Rabie met with Panama’s Ambassador to Egypt Ricardo Isaza to explore cooperation between the Suez and Panama canals on marketing, training, and information sharing, and to address geopolitical and environmental challenges affecting global supply chains, according to a statement.
Rabie called for coordinated efforts across the maritime community to maintain smooth flow of navigation through international shipping lanes and support sustainable global supply chains.
He also expressed readiness to deepen ties with the Panama Canal, drawing on the two waterways’ shared characteristics and interests to exchange expertise and expand cooperation into new areas.
The talks also addressed how the SCA is responding to successive disruptions. Rabie explained that crisis management had become an integral part of the SCA’s institutional strategy, given the direct impact of regional and international challenges on global trade passing through the canal.
Moreover, he said the authority had diversified its revenue streams by localizing the manufacture of different types of vessels at its shipyards and affiliated companies. It has also introduced new maritime and logistics services to strengthen the canal’s competitiveness.
Meanwhile, Isaza reaffirmed Panama’s commitment to expanding cooperation, including exchanging expertise in marketing, training, and information sharing. He expressed appreciation for the longstanding relationship with the Suez Canal and praised Egypt’s diplomatic and governmental efforts to bring the two canals closer together.
The ambassador expects further cooperation in the coming period, reflecting both countries’ interest in deepening their ties.
He also described the Suez Canal as a cornerstone of global supply chain sustainability that commands significant attention across the maritime community, adding that the challenges facing maritime transport, along with the shared principles underpinning the two canals’ operating strategies, reinforce the need for closer coordination and integration.
