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Trade Arabia
28-05-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Egypt aims to integrate railways into Asia-Europe network
Egyptian authorities are working to integrate the country into a railway network connecting Asia and Europe, but a long-planned bridge that would link Saudi Arabia to its Sinai Peninsula has yet to be finalised, said the country's transport minister. Egypt has been expanding its railways along seven separate axes, stated Kamel Al Wazir. These include three high-speed lines that would connect Sokhna Port on the Red Sea with the Mediterranean and Alexandria in the north and with Aswan in the far south, he noted. Israel and Iraq have likewise been spending billions of dollars on rail lines with an eye towards tapping the east-west trade. All the plans involve loading cargo onto ships for part of the journey. 'We have now completed the planning for the bridge between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and are ready to implement it at any time, whether a bridge or a tunnel,' Wazir told Reuters on the sideline of an economic conference organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. 'But the (current) solution for connecting Egypt with Saudi Arabia and Jordan is through the Arab Bridge Maritime Company, which currently has 13 vessels that can take cargo between Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.' Saudi Arabia's King Salman had announced during a visit to Egypt in 2016 the idea for a bridge, which would complement the mega-city and business zone of NEOM which the Saudis are building across the Straits of Tiran. Rail cargo would be sent to a series of ports on the Mediterranean that Egypt has been upgrading over the last decade. The high-speed train line connecting to Egypt's south would skirt the edge of the pyramids area in the desert, while simultaneously serving the site, he added.
Reuters
25-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Egypt working to integrate railways into Asia-Europe trade
CAIRO, May 25 (Reuters) - Egypt is working to integrate the country into a railway network connecting Asia and Europe, but a long-planned bridge that would link Saudi Arabia to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula has yet to be finalised, transport minister Kamel al-Wazir said on Sunday. Egypt has been expanding its railways along seven separate axes, he said. These include three high-speed lines that would connect Sokhna Port on the Red Sea with the Mediterranean and Alexandria in the north and with Aswan in the far south. Israel and Iraq have likewise been spending billions of dollars on rail lines with an eye towards tapping the east-west trade. All the plans involve loading cargo onto ships for part of the journey. "We have now completed the planning for the bridge between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and are ready to implement it at any time - whether a bridge or a tunnel," Wazir told Reuters on the sideline of an economic conference organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. "But the (current) solution for connecting Egypt with Saudi Arabia and Jordan is through the Arab Bridge Maritime Co. which currently has 13 vessels that can take cargo between Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt." Saudi Arabia's King Salman announced during a visit to Egypt in 2016 the idea for a bridge, which would complement a mega-city and business zone called NEOM the Saudis were building across the Straits of Tiran. Rail cargo would be sent to a series of ports on the Mediterranean that Egypt has been upgrading over the last decade. The high-speed train line connecting to Egypt's south would skirt the edge of the pyramids area in the desert, while simultaneously serving the site, he added. A proposed route through the site of Abydos, where Egypt's first pharaohs were buried 5,000 years ago, has been diverted to pass over the plateau above and away from the antiquities site.
Jordan Times
17-05-2025
- Jordan Times
First group of Egyptian pilgrims arrives in Aqaba ahead of Hajj
The first group of Egyptian pilgrims, 125 out of a total of 7,778, arriv in Aqaba on Friday aboard the passenger ship Ayla, one of the newest vessels in the Arab Bridge Maritime Company's fleet (Petra photo) AMMAN — The first group of Egyptian pilgrims, 125 out of a total of 7,778, arrived in Aqaba on Friday aboard the passenger ship Ayla, one of the newest vessels in the Arab Bridge Maritime Company's fleet. Aqaba Governor Khaled Hajjaj, who received the pilgrims, said the facilitations provided to Egyptian pilgrims reflect Royal directives aimed at honouring Jordan's guests and presenting a positive image of the Kingdom, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. He reiterated that relevant authorities are committed to ensuring a comfortable stay for the pilgrims in Aqaba, whether upon arrival or departure, through the provision of necessary logistical services. He noted that a comprehensive action plan is in place to streamline procedures and facilitate the movement of pilgrims between Aqaba's ports and the Saudi border. Arab Bridge Maritime Director General Adnan Abadleh said the company's selection as the exclusive sea transporter of Egyptian pilgrims reflects the trust it has earned over more than three decades of maritime service, marked by adherence to high safety and security standards. Abadleh reaffirmed the company's full readiness to transport pilgrims to the Holy Sites professionally and efficiently, in line with a pre-arranged schedule. He highlighted the company's coordination with authorities at the ports of Nuweiba and Aqaba to ensure a safe and seamless journey. He also noted that the pilgrims' village in Nuweiba has been upgraded to accommodate pilgrims prior to their transit through Jordan, while preparations at the pilgrims' terminal in Aqaba have been finalised to receive returning pilgrims. The bulk of the Egyptian pilgrims are expected to be transported between May 25 and 28 using a fleet of modern vessels. These include the Ayla, with a capacity of 1,000 passengers; the Sinai, with a capacity of 550; and the high-speed ferry Queen Nefertiti, which can accommodate 580 passengers. The company estimates a daily transport capacity of up to 62 buses.
