Berenice Port Development Key in Egypt-Kuwait Cooperation Talks

Egypt and Kuwait have discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of industry, transport, and logistics, with a particular focus on the development of the Berenice port.

Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel El-Wazir, met with the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Cairo, Ghanem Saqr Al-Ghanem, to review ongoing projects and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

The Kuwaiti Ambassador praised the strong relations between the two countries and commended the significant development Egypt has witnessed under President Al-Sisi across various sectors.

He stressed Kuwait’s keenness to increase cooperation with Egypt in various fields, including transport and industry.

The meeting then focused on recent developments in maritime transport cooperation between the two countries. Both parties reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding signed previously concerning the construction, development, use, management, operation, utilisation, maintenance, and handover of the Berenice port.

This agreement was signed between the Berenice Port Company (BPC), a division of Egypt’s Red Sea Ports Authorities, and Kuwaiti investor Alghanim Group.

El-Wazir highlighted the Egyptian government’s commitment to developing all Egyptian ports, aligning with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s ambitious plan to transform Egypt into a regional hub for transport, logistics, and transit trade.

This plan relies heavily on a network of freeways, expressways, and rail lines (diesel and electric) connecting airports and seaports on the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, as well as on the country’s tourism, industrial, agricultural, and maritime assets.

He added that this agreement also aligns with the government’s strategy of maximising private sector participation in Ministry of Transport projects, including maritime transport.

The discussion then turned to opportunities for collaboration in the field of logistics. El-Wazir explained that the Ministry of Transport is implementing a comprehensive plan to establish 31 dry ports and logistics zones across Egypt, in addition to developing existing ports by adding new berths and multi-purpose terminals. This aims to prevent congestion of goods and containers at seaports, enhance logistical services, reduce transport costs, and facilitate trade.

El-Wazir outlined the ministry’s plan to develop seven integrated international development logistics corridors to connect production zones (industrial, agricultural, mining, and services) with seaports through fast and secure transport routes, passing through dry ports and integrated logistics zones.

These corridors include the Sokhna-Alexandria corridor, the Arish-Taba corridor, the Cairo-Alexandria corridor, the Tanta-Mansoura-Damietta corridor, the Gergub-Saloum corridor, and the Cairo-Aswan corridor, all aimed at transforming Egypt into a regional hub for transport, logistics, and transit trade, fulfilling President Al-Sisi’s directives.