Fishing fleet modernisation boosted

Two new deep vessels launched

EGYPT: Delivered as part of a series of 12 high seas fishing vessels, the Rezk 2 and Rezk 3 were launched this week in Port Said to further an ongoing strategy that will modernise the Egyptian fishing vessel fleet.

The Class Rezk represents a significant leap in the country’s fishing vessel building capability and was developed in response to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directives to develop the fleet of fishing vessels in the country.

Witnessing the launch, Adm Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), described the milestone as a critical starting point for developing the shipbuilding industry and mega maritime units in Egypt. He noted that it would allow for the acquisition of new expertise in building more complex vessels, in addition to achieving economic viability and generating foreign currency revenue from operating fishing vessels and marketing the capabilities of the Egyptian industry.

“Class REZK is the first of its kind in Egypt and is considered an unprecedented leap in the industry of fishing vessel building,” he said.

The ceremony of the two vessels Rezk 2 and Rezk 3 at South Red Sea Shipyard (SRSS) in Safaga was also attended by Mostafa El-Dougishy, Chairman of the South Red Sea Shipyard, and a number of its executives.

“REZK is a qualitative leap.. Our partnership with the SCA has brought about successive achievements in building marine units,” said El-Dougishy

The two vessels represent the first production of fishing vessels from Misr Factory, and are part of a series of 12 high-seas fishing vessels of the class REZK being built successively for the SCA under the supervision of the Italian classification society RINA.

VESSEL SPECS:

◼︎ Length overall: 50m
◼︎ Breadth: 10.5m
◼︎ Draft: 4.2m
◼︎ Maximum speed: 12 knots

Each vessel is equipped with four generators; two main 450 kW generators, one 100 kW emergency generator and one 450 kW mechanical generator to provide the vessel with electricity, in addition to its ability to power the propulsion system in case of the main generators' failure.

The vessels also have special features that fit the requirements of high-seas fishing, as the fishing line extends over 150,000 metres, and the fish hold chambers designed to keep and freeze the fish to maintain its quality along its storage period are considerably large.

Adm Rabiee pointed out that the REZK class of high-seas fishing vessels comes as an integrated system for fish harvesting, processing, and packaging, utilising state-of-the-art equipment and technology. This comes as part of ongoing efforts to modernize and upgrade the Egyptian fishing fleet, in line with the directives of the political leadership.

El-Dougishy, Chairman of the South Red Sea Shipyard, affirmed that building high-seas fishing vessels represents a qualitative leap that would not have been possible without the support and directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to enhance the private sector's participation in efforts to localize the maritime industry and modernize the Egyptian fishing fleet.

He noted that the shipyard has been working simultaneously on the building of four high-seas fishing vessels, and that after the launch, sea trials are scheduled to be completed within two months.

PHOTO: Source: Suez Canal Authority