Suez and Read Sea Chamber of Shipping: Achievements

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Establishing and elegantly furnishing the headquarters of the Chamber in the Red Sea Ports Authority premises.

Holding the Ain Sukhna Conference in collaboration with the Egyptian Businessmen Association. This conference has drawn the attention of the financial, investment and business communities towards this vital area which increases the demand on the maritime transport services in the Suez and Red Sea ports.

Participating with the competent authorities in organizing and preventing infringements or encroachments and unfair seizures/arrests of vessels the port of Suez and the Red Sea ports. The Chamber has exerted so much effort together with several bodies for wiping out the phenomenon of invoice forgery that was complained by shipowners, ship operators and ship masters going through the Suez Canal. The Board of Directors has devised a plan for distributing the marine suppliers and contractors over the shipping agencies for creating and securing business opportunities for them through cooperation. This was achieved through a number of meetings with the Governor of Suez General Mohamed Seif El Din Galal and some of the officials in the maritime transport section and Suez officials. A number of shipping agencies responded to this request and the board is still exerting efforts within this framework.

Coordination with Maritime Transport Department and the Egyptian Businessmen Association in holding workshops on the Egyptian fleet development. In the light of that, the ministerial cabinet has issued a number of decrees for increasing the support for the national fleet. The Egyptian vessels carrying Egyptian export and import cargoes have been exempted from the fees and excises imposed on the foreign fleets. A committee has been formulated which is chaired by the head of the Maritime Transport Department of the Ministry of transport for following up the execution of this decree. The Minister of Transport has also issued another decree giving the Egyptian vessels the priority of coastal transportation between the Egyptian ports especially feeders.

Studying and preparing the tariffs of service charges for shipping agencies, loading and unloading, storage and using silos according to the ministerial decree in which he mandated the chambers of shipping in all ports to study and issue the tariffs to be approved by the Board of the Ports Authorities in those ports. This study has been carried out accurately and objectively through specialized committees, so that the tariffs will be attractive for all the activities and suitable to the business scene of the Suez and Red Sea area i.e. the maritime community of the Gulf of Suez ports. The Chamber board members, all together with some members of Port Said Chamber of Shipping have cooperated on developing these tariffs as Suez Canal time zone resembles an economically unified area, also the Canal Shipping Agencies Company has been a prime cooperating party in its capacity as one of the pillars of the Public sector in the field of maritime transport. The tariffs have already been approved then applied.

Setting out the ideal executive regulations of the chamber that conforms with the essence of the decrees, laws and work environment of all the general assembly members of the Suez and Red Sea Chamber of Shipping.

Setting out the code of ethics that creates the balance in the relations among the members of the general assembly and protects them against any malpractices.

Participating in the regional and international exhibitions, conferences, meetings and forums, and concentrating on the subjects that concern the Suez Canal & Red Sea ports and the maritime transport industry in general, such as:-

Seatrade Mediterranean Cruise & Ferry Convention in Genoa Italy 12-14 September 2000.
Seatrade Europe Cruise & Ferry Convention – Hamburg which was held during the period 29-31 October in the wake of 11^th September 2001 in the USA which resulted in the increase of freight rates and insurance premiums on shipments and hull/machinery of vessels coming to Egypt. The purpose of attending this convention was to clarify that Egypt does not belong to the War Risk Area, and therefore no need for the unjustified surcharges.
Seatrade Miami Cruise Conference & Exhibition held during the period 11-15 March 2001 in Miami USA.
Establishing a channel of communication with Bimco regarding what it publishes of news on some negative aspects in the Egyptian ports. We have succeeded in a number of cases to clarify some situations and misunderstandings. Bimco has published our explanations and is still requesting our consultations, comments and suggestions. We feel it is our duty to do that as a service to our national economy and the maritime community in Egypt.
Hosting the Sino-Egyptian Business Council and the representatives of the People’s republic of China at Suez and preparing the program for their visit to the Suez Canal Authority and passage and also their visit to Ein Al Sukhna for attracting Chinese investments to the Gulf of Suez area

The Chamber has become a member of the Arab Federation of the Shipping Chambers.

The Chamber has become a member of the Transport Committee stemming from the Ministry of Foreign Trade according to the Ministerial Decree No. 50/2002 issued by Ministry of Foreign Trade.