Egypt Daily News – The Ministry of Transport has offered four dry ports to investors for development: Sadat Dry Port, Borg El Arab Dry Port, Sohag Dry Port, and Abu Simbel Dry Port.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transport highlighted that this sector is experiencing significant growth in Egypt, contributing to enhancing trade movement, reducing congestion at seaports, improving logistics services, lowering the cost of freight transportation, and facilitating the movement and connection between manufacturing and consumption areas.
It also plays a role in reducing negative environmental impacts, streamlining inspection and customs clearance procedures, achieving economies of scale in distribution due to efficient railway connections, reducing accidents on national road networks, and creating job opportunities. Furthermore, it aims to improve the efficiency of Egypt’s supply chain.
This move aligns with the directives of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to transform Egypt into a regional hub for transport, logistics, and transit trade. The plan includes developing a nationwide transport system, with the creation of seven integrated logistical corridors that are currently being implemented to link production areas (industrial, agricultural, and mining) with seaports or to connect Red Sea ports with Mediterranean ports.
These corridors will serve new urban communities through a network of railways (diesel/electric high-speed trains) or main roads, passing through dry ports and logistics areas along these corridors.
The Ministry of Transport also mentioned that it is establishing 33 dry ports and logistics zones across the country. These dry ports and logistics zones are considered key components of these logistical corridors, in line with the president’s directives to enhance cooperation and partnerships with both international and local private sectors.
Notably, the Sixth of October Dry Port, which opened in June 2023, serves as a successful model of public-private partnership and marks a significant leap in Egypt’s transport and logistics system. It plays a prominent role in facilitating the movement of imports and exports, preventing congestion at seaports, and benefiting from many advantages, including the transportation of goods to seaports via a railway network.
Additionally, it boasts quick and efficient customs procedures, operating on an advanced digital platform, and has customs warehouses for storing goods both public and private with added services such as cargo handling, product mixing for re-export, container repairs, and refrigerated container inspections.
Another successful example is the dry port and logistics zone in 10th of Ramadan City, which also partners with the private sector. It contributes to facilitating trade by reducing congestion at seaports, improving logistics services, lowering transportation costs, and easing the movement and connection of manufacturing and consumption centers. It also reduces environmental impacts, streamlines customs procedures, improves distribution efficiency, and creates job opportunities.
