Egypt is prioritising development of maritime transport and logistics infrastructure, focused on becoming a regional and global hub for transport, logistics and transit trade.
by Blue Africa News
The Egyptian government is advancing plans of establishing 33 dry ports and logistics zones across the country, in a major push to develop smart and resilient logistics corridors.
Addressing delegates during the recently concluded 15th International Maritime Transport and Logistics Conference (MARLOG) in Alexandria, organised by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El Wazir, said that recent global disruptions have demonstrated the urgent need for corridors built on digital transformation.
“We are prioritising the development of maritime transport and logistics infrastructure to transform Egypt into a regional and global hub for transport, logistics and transit trade,” said the minister, as quoted by Logistics Update Africa.
The country’s transport corridors, the minister explained, are “designed to link seaports on the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal axis, dry ports, logistics zones, industrial and agricultural production areas, railway networks and express highways.”
“The objective is to achieve full integration between different modes of transport while improving overall supply chain efficiency,” added the Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister, highlighting the importance of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), a critical aspect for African and global trade flows.
In January 2025, the Egyptian ministry of transport signed an agreement with Swiss company MEDLOG – a global logistics and supply chain company for the funding, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a new domestic dry port and logistics centre in 10th of Ramadan City, a new urban centre, according to a report carried by Yahoo Finance.
MEDLOG won the global tender issued by the public authority for land and dry ports, beating four global consortiums, with reports indicating that so far, the North African nation has built 22 dry ports and logistic zones across the country, including in 10th of Ramadan City.
The ultimate goal is to complete 33 dry ports and seven logistical corridors, enhancing the country’s capacity for transport, logistics, and transit trade.
During the MARLOG conference, Osama Rabiee, Chairman of SCA said the authority has over the years, continued to strengthen its global position despite economic and geopolitical challenges.
Notably, the chairman said, the recorded improvement in navigation and revenue indicators during the first half of fiscal year 2025/2026.
Rabiee said that navigation statistics during the first half of the current fiscal year showed a 5.8% increase in the number of transiting vessels, and a 16% rise in net tonnage, resulting in an 18.5% increase in revenues compared to a similar period during the previous financial year.
“Since the beginning of 2026,” he said, “The canal has recorded the transit of 1,315 vessels with total net tonnage of 56 million tons, generating revenues of $449 million, compared to 1,243 vessels with a return of 47 million tons and revenues of $368 million during the same period last year.”
He emphasised that the Suez Canal Authority has redefined itself as an integrated logistics hub, embracing comprehensive digital transformation across all operations, as maritime cooperation with other African agencies was cited as SCA’s good continental standing.
On December 17, 2025, the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) and SCA formalised a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance bilateral maritime cooperation between Namibia and Egypt.
The MoU focuses on capacity building, port infrastructure development, marine asset management, dredging expertise and information sharing, geared toward supporting Namport’s ambition to position Namibia as a leading regional logistics hub and transshipment centre on Africa’s western seaboard.
SCA and Namport will exchange expertise and promote bilateral cooperation in various sub sectors, among them maritime construction works, sales and chartering marine units, and maritime training through the SCA’s maritime training and simulation academies.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News