Egypt gets $22m Japanese grant for diving vessel
Funding supports first-of-its-kind diving support vessel to enhance navigational safety and emergency response capabilities
CAIRO, Egypt (MNTV) — The Japanese government will provide a $22 million grant to finance the construction and delivery of a pioneering diving support vessel (DSV) for the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), officials said.
The grant, provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is aimed at strengthening the authority’s maritime operations and emergency response capacity, according to Egyptian news.
The agreement was formalized in a signing ceremony attended by Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat, SCA Chairman Admiral Osama Rabie, and Japan’s economic counsellor Yusuke Suzuki. The vessel is set to be constructed in Japan and represents a major addition to the SCA fleet.
Designed for multiple operational purposes, the DSV will improve navigational safety, assist in vessel manoeuvring, support towing operations, and enhance rapid emergency response capabilities along the canal.
Measuring 45 meters in length, 10 meters in width, with a draft of 4.5 meters and weighing 620 tons, the vessel will have a maximum speed of 12 knots and accommodate up to 29 personnel.
The vessel will feature a dual-fuel engine system, capable of running on both diesel and natural gas, to reduce carbon emissions and support sustainable operations.
It will also be equipped with advanced diving and search systems, including two decompression chambers, specialized equipment for diving, search, rescue, and recovery operations, as well as an integrated waste treatment unit.
SCA Chairman Rabie described the DSV as an unprecedented addition to the canal authority’s fleet, noting that it will significantly enhance the capabilities of the maritime rescue team for diving operations, search and rescue missions, and emergency response.
He added that two additional rescue tugboats with a bollard pull of 190 tons are expected to join the fleet next year.
Minister Al-Mashat highlighted that the agreement focuses on strengthening the SCA’s operational capacity, a vital corridor that handles around 12 percent of global maritime trade.
She noted that regional tensions since October 2023 had briefly disrupted Suez Canal traffic. However, navigation activity rebounded, recording 8.6 percent growth in the first quarter of the 2025 fiscal year, aided by a peace agreement sponsored by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and gradual stabilization in the Red Sea region.
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