China to build 5 tugboats for Egypt's Suez Canal - China.org.cn

Egypt's Suez Canal Authority (SCA) agreed with a Chinese shipbuilder to build five tugboats and the contract will be signed very soon, SCA Chairman Osama Rabie told Xinhua.

Without mentioning the name of the Chinese company, Rabie noted that each of the five tugs will be with a bollard pull of 80 tonnes.

"We have already agreed with the Chinese company that the first tug will be delivered to Egypt in 14 months, the second in 20 months and all the five tugs will have been delivered in three years," Rabie told Xinhua on Monday, following a ceremony held in the northeastern Ismailia province to mark the recent arrival of a giant dredger to the SCA.

"It is possible that we will cooperate with China in building bigger tugboats," Rabie added, voicing his confidence in the prospects of cooperation between the SCA and China.

"In fact, the Chinese are so cooperative with us," the SCA chief told Xinhua, noting that Chinese companies are the first to present their offers in the tenders and projects launched by the SCA.