Egypt and China Sign Agreement for Two New Eco-Friendly Ships to Boost Egyptian Maritime Transport Capacity
Egypt has signed a contract with China to build two new ships, including one of the latest clean dry bulk ships, in order to increase the number of ships in the Egyptian fleet to 16. The target is to reach 31 ships by the year 2030. The Minister of Transport, Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel Al-Wazir, oversaw the signing of the contract between the National Shipping Company, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Transport, and the Chinese shipyard “Hantung.”
The two ships will be built in compliance with the latest environmental requirements and are scheduled for delivery in 2026. One ship includes specifications such as a tonnage of 82 thousand tons, length of 229 meters, width of 32.26 meters, and draft of 14.5 meters.
The Minister highlighted the importance of this development for Egyptian maritime transport, emphasizing that it signifies a significant advancement in restoring the fleet’s strength. “Hantung” is a renowned shipyard specializing in clean dry bulk ships, with a track record of building 148 ships, including 49 currently under construction, totaling 12.6 million tons.
With the addition of these two new ships, Egypt’s fleet capacity will exceed one million tons annually, enhancing transportation of strategic goods to Egypt particularly wheat. Over 40% of the fleet’s strength will have been renewed within just three years
