About El Mahrousa

El Mahrousa (Arabic: المحروسة‎, literally "The Protected"), officially renamed for a period of time as El Horreya (Arabic: الحرية‎, "Freedom"), is a super yacht that currently serves as Egypt's presidential yacht, and before that as the country's royal yacht. It was built by the British shipbuilding firm Samuda Brothers in 1863 at the order of Khedive Ismail Pasha and the ship was handed over to its Egyptian crew two years later. It is the oldest active superyacht in the world and the ninth largest one.

El Mahrousa underwent a number of important alterations during its years of service, including the replacement of its paddle wheel engines by turbine-driven propellers in 1905; the installation of a wireless telegraph in 1912, and a diesel-fueled system in 1919; as well as multiple-feet lengthenings throughout that period. It also witnessed much of Egypt's modern history since it was first commissioned in the 19th century up till now. The yacht carried three Egyptian rulers to their exile abroad, namely Khedive Ismail, Khedive Abbas II, and King Farouk I, along with the latter's recently born son, Fuad II, the last ruling member of the Muhammad Ali dynasty. This marked the end of the monarchy in Egypt following the 1952 revolution and the founding of the Republic of Egypt, after which the yacht joined the Egyptian Navy and was renamed El Horreya (English: Liberty). The ship continued to play a role in the country's post-revolutionary history and participated in the 1976 United States Bicentennial celebrations. It took Egypt's president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, to numerous locations and it notably sailed with President Anwar Sadat to Jaffa, Israel, during the 1979 peace talks between Egypt and Israel. It was renamed back to El Mahrousa in 2000 and recently became the first ship to cross the New Suez Canal extension in 2015.

History

She was built by the Samuda Brothers on the River Thames and designed by Oliver Lang along the same lines as HMY Victoria and Albert.

In 1867, the ship embarked on its first trip, in which it transported Egyptian troops to aid the Ottomans during the Cretan revolt. Two years later, Khedive Ismail Pasha used the ship to go on a tour to invite royals of Europe to attend the inauguration of the Suez Canal.

After the abdication of King Farouk and his arrival in Europe he sent back the yacht to Egypt with all the crew and the equipment; she was taken over by the Egyptian government for use as a naval training ship, and her name was changed to El Horreya. She spent most of her career in the eastern Mediterranean but did participate in the International Naval Review held to commemorate the bicentennial of the United States of America.

Other notable figures who boarded the ship were Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, King Ibn Saud, Josip Tito, and Menachem Begin.

In 1984, its title as the largest superyacht was taken by Prince Abdulaziz, after having retained it for 119 years.

The ship is cared for by the Egyptian Navy and is occasionally used as a Presidential Yacht. The ship goes to sea about three times a year, usually for just a day.

On 10 September 2000 after visiting the El Horreya, President Hosni Mubarak changed the name back to her original name Mahroussa.

On 6 August 2015, the ship was used to inaugurate the New Suez Canal.

Alterations

Twice in the ship's history significant alterations to the ship's length were carried out. Firstly by 40 feet in 1872, with a further 16.5 feet being added in 1905. The 1905 rebuild was undertaken at the Pointhouse Shipyard of A & J Inglis in Glasgow, Scotland and included the replacement of her two paddle wheels with triple propellers powered by steam turbines built by Inglis at their Warroch Street Engine Works in Glasgow. Inglis were one of the first companies to be granted a license by the Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company, Wallsend for the construction of steam turbines in their own works.