Egypt Daily News – Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly witnessed the signing ceremony of a contract agreement to localize and supply 21 metro train units, totaling 189 carriages, for the Alexandria Metro project (Abu Qir – Misr Station), during his visit today to the NERIC (National Egyptian Railway Industries Company) factory in East Port Said.
The signing took place in the presence of Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel El-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, as well as Walid Gamal El-Din, Chairman of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
The contract is valued at €275,020,276 and includes the supply of spare parts and special equipment, along with maintenance services for 10 years, including one major overhaul. The contract duration is set at 38 months.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Eng. Tarek Gamili, Head of the National Authority for Tunnels, and Mr. Ahmed El-Mofti, Managing Director of NERIC.
Expanding the Network of Green, Sustainable Mass Transit
Prime Minister Madbouly stated that this agreement comes as part of the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to expand the establishment of a network of eco-friendly, green mass transportation systems to facilitate movement for citizens and provide high-quality services. It aligns with the Ministry of Transport’s plan to implement several green mass transit projects in Alexandria, which is the second most populous governorate in Egypt.
Localizing Various Industries in Egypt, Including Railway Manufacturing
The Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development, Minister of Industry and Transport, confirmed that this agreement reflects President El-Sisi’s directives to localize various industries in Egypt, including the railway industry, aiming to transform Egypt into a regional industrial hub.
This contract follows a series of agreements signed or being finalized between the Ministry of Transport and NERIC to localize railway manufacturing. Previously, a contract was signed to manufacture 40 metro trains, totaling 320 air-conditioned carriages, in cooperation with South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem for Cairo Metro Lines 2 and 3. Another contract is currently underway to locally manufacture and supply 500 railway carriages in partnership with a leading global transport manufacturer.
He added that the project represents a significant leap in Alexandria’s eco-friendly, green mass transit system and will contribute to the targeted economic and social development of the governorate. Construction is already underway for Phase 1 of the Alexandria Metro project, which spans 21.7 km from Abu Qir Railway Station to Misr Station. This includes 6.5 km of surface-level track (from Misr Station to just before El-Zahereya Station) and 15.2 km of elevated track to Abu Qir, comprising 20 stations (6 surface and 14 elevated).
Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel El-Wazir emphasized that the project aims to ensure safe operation by eliminating level crossings and unauthorized intersections with road traffic. It will accommodate increasing passenger traffic, reduce congestion in Alexandria, and lower fuel consumption, as the system operates on clean electric power.
The project will increase peak passenger capacity from 2,850 passengers/hour/direction to 60,000 passengers/hour/direction, and reduce travel time from 50 minutes to 25 minutes due to an increase in operating speed from 25 km/h to 100 km/h. It will also reduce train intervals from 10 minutes to 2.5 minutes.
Additionally, it will offer seamless transfer with Cairo-Alexandria Railway at Misr and Sidi Gaber stations, with the Raml Tram at Victoria and Sidi Gaber stations, and with the Rosetta Railway Line at El-Maamoura Station.
