Egypt Receives First Domestically Built ASD Tugboat “Ras El-Hekma

As part of Egypt’s ongoing efforts to localize military industrial capabilities and strengthen naval operational readiness, the Egyptian Navy has officially taken delivery of its first Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tugboat, named Ras El-Hekma.

The vessel is the first of three ASD tugboats being built at the Alexandria Shipyard in collaboration with the French classification society Bureau Veritas (BV). The handover ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Ashraf Atwa, Commander of the Egyptian Navy and Chairman of the Marine Industries and Services Authority, along with senior naval officials and representatives from global marine equipment suppliers.

The Ras El-Hekma tugboat is of the RAstar 3200 class, known for its high-performance capabilities, including a competitive cost, enhanced maneuverability, and a powerful bollard pull capacity of 85 tons. The vessel is outfitted with state-of-the-art systems from leading international marine technology companies.

This delivery marks a significant milestone in Egypt’s naval industrial development. Alexandria Shipyard aims to position itself as a regional hub for the production of ASD tugboats, with ambitions to expand into global markets in the coming years.

The initiative is part of a broader strategic directive by Egypt’s political and military leadership to modernize the armed forces and promote local defense manufacturing.