On Monday 4 May, the two deep-sea fishing vessels Rezk 2 and Rezk 3 were launched at the South Red Sea Shipyard in Safaga. The vessels are the first “Made in Egypt” fishing vessels in a series of 12 deep-sea vessels of the Rizq class being built successively for the Suez Canal Authority under the supervision of the Italian classification society RINA.
RINA is an Italian multinational classification society specialising in maritime certification, ship classification, engineering, and inspection services. The organisation supervises vessel design, construction, and safety compliance in accordance with international maritime standards and regulations
Each vessel measures 50 metres in length and 10.5 metres in width, with a draft of 4.2 metres and a top speed of 12 knots. They are equipped with four generators, including two main generators with a capacity of 450 kilowatts each, an emergency generator of capacity 100 kilowatts, and a 450 kilowatts mechanical generator to supply electrical power and operate the propulsion system in the event of main engine failure.
The vessels also feature specialised equipment tailored for deep-sea fishing, including fishing lines extending up to 150,000 metres, as well as large storage and freezing compartments designed to preserve fish quality throughout storage.
Admiral Osama Rabiee, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, attended the launching ceremony alongside Mostafa al-Degheishy, Chairman of the South Red Sea Shipyard Company, Shady al-Metboully, Director of RINA Egypt and representative of the Italian classification society, as well as several company executives.
Rabiee said the new Rezk class is the first of its kind in Egypt and represents an unprecedented leap in fishing vessel construction, noting that Egypt had never previously built vessels capable of operating in deep seas and international waters in line with international requirements and agreements.
He explained that Rezk forms an integrated system for fishing, production, and fish packaging using some of the world’s most advanced equipment and technologies, as part of efforts to modernise and develop the Egyptian fishing fleet, in line with directives from the political leadership.
Admiral Rabiee added that building deep-sea fishing vessels with Egyptian expertise marks the starting point for advancing Egypt’s shipbuilding industry and developing large marine units, while also helping acquire expertise in constructing more complex vessels and generating foreign currency revenues through fishing operations and the promotion of Egyptian industrial capabilities.
Meanwhile, Mr Degheishy said that partnership with the Suez Canal Authority has achieved successive milestones in advancing the marine vessel industry within a record timeframe, noting that the company simultaneously worked on building four deep-sea fishing vessels. Following the launch of Rezk 2 and Rezk 3. Sea trials are expected to be completed within two months.
For his part, Mr Metboully expressed pride in the launch of the first two deep-sea fishing vessels for the Egyptian fleet in accordance with RINA requirements and international agreements governing deep-sea fishing vessels. He noted that RINA supervised all stages of the project, from approving designs and stability calculations to approving equipment and machinery and overseeing construction through its representatives in Egypt.
Watani International
7 May 2026
