Egypt Implements Plan to Upgrade Sea Ports and Promote Global Trade

The country of Egypt is currently implementing a comprehensive plan to upgrade its ports along the Red and Mediterranean Seas in order to become a logistic center in the Middle East and Africa.

Egypt has many important ports including Alexandria, Daqahilia, Damietta, Arish, Said, and East Port Said. The goal of their infrastructure upgrades is to promote Egyptian presence on the international trade map.

The plan includes building and upgrading existing berths, trading yards, wharves, commercial and logistical areas, dredging shipping lanes, and port docks. In addition, new and existing facilities will be linked to the railways and electric train network in order to further the spread of goods.

Egypt has started to develop Ain al-Sokhna, one of the targeted ports at the Red Sea, with an investment of 1.27 billion U.S. dollars, to shift it into a central port at the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

The country has re-operated lately two ports of al-Arish and al-Tour after years of halt. Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has instructed to prepare a study for building the al-Max port at the Mediterranean Sea.

"Egypt is working on digital transformation of the operation of ports, linking seaports, dry and internal ports, consumption centers and manufacturing areas through road and rail networks,” said Mona Sobhy, professor of Economic Geography and Transportation at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo.

Not only that, but the massive infrastructure overhaul will better connect larger urban cities to the newly upgraded ports.

The infrastructure upgrades are expected to be completed within the next few years.