Ismailia-Egypt: November 13, 2014 – The Challenge Consortium led by the National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC), in collaboration with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), today held a ceremony in Ismailia to mark the arrival of marine dredgers and commencement of dredging on the new Suez Canal project.

The larger Suez Canal expansion project was announced earlier this year by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Egypt, Abdul Fattah Al Sisi.

The celebration began at the Simulation and Marine Training Center of the Suez Canal Authority with a welcome note and a presentation on the new Suez Canal project by the Authority’s Chairman, Lieutenant General Mohab Mamish,.

The welcome address was followed by a briefing delivered by the consortium representative Engineer Yasser Zaghloul, CEO of the NMDC. Highlighting the various phases of dredging work on the new Suez Canal project. Zaghloul provided details on the number of dredgers that will work on the project. In addition, he outlined the operation schedule for the underwater work that is anticipated to dredge a total of 250 million cubic meters of soil. Zaghloul also offered an overview on the giant dredger ‘Almarfa’a owned by the UAE’s National Marine Dredging Company.

Following the talks, Lieutenant General Mohab Mamish headlined a press conference.

The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State, as well as a number of Ministers, the UAE Ambassador in Cairo, governors of the Suez Canal Zone, Chairman of the NMDC, Mohammad Thani Murshed Al Ruamithi and representatives of the consortium including Boscalis and Van Oord from Holland, Jean Donnell and Dredger International from Belgium and Great Lakes from the USA. The ceremony also drew the attendance of senior media professionals, journalists, representatives of news agencies, global newspapers and the Dubai Press Club.

Lieutenant General Muhab Mamish said: “The new Suez Canal project reflects the vision of His Excellency President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. The initiative will play a vital and an important role in improving Egypt’s economic activity through expanding the canal’s capacity and generating increased revenues. The canal’s development will help establish specialized economic areas, cities and projects. Such projects will stimulate economic growth and create more job opportunities.”

H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said: “I would like to convey my warm wishes from the UAE’s leadership and its people to our brothers in Egypt. I would also like to thank the Suez Canal Authority and the National Marine Dredging Company for inviting me to attend the ceremony. Establishing a strong consortium that includes several international companies, which are well-known for their extensive expertise, to execute this huge project enhances the chances of the project’s success.

“I am confident that the Suez Authority’s efforts to manage the project and its cooperation with the consortium will contribute to the scheduled completion of drilling work on the new canal.”

Engineer Yasser Nasser Zaghloul, CEO of the NMDC, the consortium lead said: “We understand, fully, the strategic importance of this project to Egypt and the world. We are also aware that through this project we are working hand in hand to build Egypt’s future and realizing His Excellency Abdul Fattah Al Sisi, President of the Republic of Egypt’s vision of a sustainable, strong economy for Egypt.”

He added: “That is why the NMDC embarked on forming one of the strongest dredging consortiums in the world that includes companies with global expertise and impeccable track records. All companies in the challenge consortium are committed to extending every effort and resource necessary to execute this important project.”

The ceremony concluded with guests and C-suite executives exchanging perspectives on the strategic importance of the new Suez Canal project and their determination to complete the work within schedule. The attendees then met at the Beach Club in Ismaïlia to mark the beginning of the alliance’s dredging work from the Almarfa’a dredger.

The massive project will see the creation of a new Suez Canal parallel to the current channel spanning a total length of 72 kilometers. The New Suez Canal project is set to boost Egypt’s economy and help speed up the movement of vessels through the 193 km long canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.