Thursday 03 Apr
Following the political leadership's directives for the comprehensive development of Egypt's transportation sectors, including river transport, and in light of Egypt's possession of the largest water artery in Africa, which runs through its territories and extends approximately 3,126 kilometers within its borders, the Ministry of Transport has prepared a comprehensive plan to develop this sector aiming to maximize passenger and cargo transport on the Nile River.
The Ministry pointed out that among these measures is the ratification by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Law No. 167 of 2022 regarding the reorganization of the General Authority for River Transport, which aims to unify the entire Nile River under one authority, the River Transport Authority, thereby facilitating and encouraging investment procedures in this field, and developing and modernizing the river transport system.
Furthermore, a network of river ports has been established
to receive and ship various goods and containers by river units, and to facilitate
the movement of passengers and goods across the Nile River. These ports,
distributed across Egypt's governorates, often specialize in specific
commodities, allowing for general cargo handling through contracts and
collaboration with the General Authority for River Transport.
The Ministry is also prioritizing lock maintenance and
development, in coordination with the Ministry of Irrigation. New locks, built
to modern engineering standards, increase capacity and reduce transit times
with 24-hour operation. Dredging, clearing, and waterway maintenance are also
underway to ensure safe navigation for Nile cruises, tourist boats, and cargo
vessels.
In line with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directives to
enhance the participation of the private sector in all Ministry of Transport
projects, the Ministry encourages private sector companies to invest and
benefit from the economic and environmental advantages of river transport. The
Ministry highlights these benefits such as reducing the state's expenditure
from the general budget on road maintenance, lower transportation expenses, as
one river unit replaces approximately 40 land transport trucks, as well as
preserving the environment from visual, auditory, and air pollution caused by
land transport, and reducing road accident rates.
The Ministry identifies key areas for private sector participation, including the development of specialized river units for various transport needs. This includes modern units for petroleum transport, adhering to international environmental, health, safety, and security standards, in coordination with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, setting environmental restrictions and procedures to preserve the Nile River from any pollution, and building units for container and vehicle transport, in addition to establishing new river ports and docks.
