Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Tuesday directed that all ports be developed in an integrated manner that extends to the geographical surroundings of those ports, and serve as logistical areas to increase their capacity in a way that would enhance their ability to support trade, export and import, and consolidate Egypt’s geographical location as a regional and global logistics hub.
The president’s remarks came as he met on Tuesday with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, Minister of Transport Kamel el-Wazir and Presidential Advisor for Urban Planning Amir Sayed Ahmed, Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said.
During the meeting, the president stressed that the renaissance of nations depends vitally on the transport network that includes ports, airports, roads and hubs, as an infrastructure supporting all sectors of the state.
The president was also briefed on the executive situation of the ongoing works to develop Ain Sokhna port, including the works of domestic roads, sidewalks and stations, as well as the Sokhna/Dekheila axis, as well as the first line of the express electric train, which will connect the Red Sea to the northern coast (Ain Sokhna/Alexandria/El-Alamein/Marsa Matrouh) with a length of 675km and a total of 34 stations, which is a giant modern addition to the transport system in Egypt.
The transport minister presented in this regard the existing efforts to develop the various ports on the country’s coasts, especially with regard to redesigning and planning them and raising their efficiency by constructing breakwaters, dredging and deepening shipping lanes, establishing new berths commensurate with giant ships, as well as developing management systems.
This comes in partnership with private sector companies with long-standing international experience to benefit from them in this field. The objective is to end any accumulation of goods in the ports and ensure their smooth transit, whether in terms of the exit of exports to global markets or the reception of imports of basic production requirements, which would contribute to doubling the country’s domestic production and creating job opportunities in sectors that depend on the efficiency of ports, especially agriculture and industry.
Minister el-Wazir also briefed the president on the existing efforts to develop the Alexandria Grand Port, which will include the Port of Alexandria, the Port of Dekheila and the central port in the El-Max region, in addition to developments in the construction of the infrastructure for new storage yards, a multi-purpose terminal as well as a large breakwater and various logistical areas, as well as the restoration and rehabilitation of the marine services berth in the port.
The president was also briefed on the progress of work on the development of the ports of East Port Said and Damietta, especially the container handling terminals, berths and multi-purpose terminals therein, in partnership with international expertise and the private sector.