Gate to Gulf and African markets – Egypt gaining lucrative regional trade
15 February 2012
Global Arab Network | February 14, 2012
Already a key conduit for both European and Asian trans-shipment activity, Egypt is working to gain a greater slice of lucrative regional trade as more land-based freighters look to the country as an alternative entry point to Gulf and African markets, Global Arab Network reports according to OBG.
In late December, the minister of transport, Galal Al Saeed, announced that the Japan International Cooperation Agency had been assigned the task of developing a new master plan to meet the transport needs of the country. Central to this plan will be a proposal to link the Red Sea port of Sokhna by highway and rail to the port of El Dekheila, just to the west of Alexandria on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
Such a development, the minister said, would enable Egypt to become a leading transit hub for goods passing between the east and the west. In order to achieve this, however, logistical centres would have to be established at October City outside of Cairo or in areas close to the ports.
In addition, existing port facilities would have to be upgraded and extended to service larger vessels, while the latest technology, data systems and communications networks would have to be adopted, Al Saeed said.