LDPA Presents Details of 1st Dry Port in Egypt to HoR

Maj. Gen. Amr Ismail, president of the Land and Dry Ports Authority (LDPA), presented to the Transportation and Communications Committee in the House of Representatives (HoR) the details of establishing the first dry port to be implemented in Egypt in 6th of October City.

Ismail stressed the importance of the port in serving the movement of goods and the Egyptian economy in general.

The port reduces the pressure of trucks on the roads in various parts of Egypt.

Ismail explained that the project is being implemented in an area of ​​100 acres. He talked about a plan to connect this port to the national railway network by establishing a link with the Cairo-Itay Al-Baroud, Buhiara Governorate railway line.

He pointed out that the project will contribute to increasing the transportation of goods by rail. It aims to reduce the movement of goods on roads to maintain the road network and reduce operating costs.

This came during a meeting of the Transport and Communications Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR), today, Tuesday, to discuss a draft law submitted by the government to grant a commitment to finance, design, create, use, maintain and re-own the dry port in 6thof October City, in partnership with the private sector.

He indicated that the project is considered the first in Egypt and will be designed according to the latest international standards.

There is a plan to connect this port to Egypt's seaports via the railway network, and that the project will contribute to increasing the capacities of seaports and reduce the waiting time for ships and the time for the release of goods. It will also help to create job opportunities for the youth.

He added that the project will contribute to serving the industrial zones and facilitate the movement of trade in the neighboring regions.

The President of the LDPA explained that the investment cost of the project reaches $100 million.

He revealed that the booklet of conditions includes a restriction that the operator must have international experience, and his share in the project is not less than 20%, to ensure the ability to operate the port.

As for the material rights that accrue to the state, it is pided into two parts, the first is the state's right to obtain a fixed amount of $ 600 thousand annually, and the second is the state's right to a rate ranging from 7% to 12% of the port's revenues and not its profits.

He went on to say that in addition to the port's area of ​​100 acres, there is another plot of land encompasses 300 acres as a logistical area, and that any completion of facilities and any construction is at the expense of the winning consortium, and that he cannot construct any building until after returning to the authority to permit it.

He explained that the LDPA has revised the contracts in the State Council, and the draft law was reviewed in the Legislation Department of the State Council, and according to the contract, the state will restore the port after 30 years.

The port consists of a group of open yards in addition to a container unloading and loading station (CFS), including a full incoming container yard, a full/empty export container yard, refrigerated container yards, warehouses, an internal road network, and an internal railway network, truck parking spaces, maintenance workshops for equipment, a truck scale, an integrated customs department, headquarters for all government regulatory agencies (such as export and import control - health - agriculture - communications - public security), as well as administrative offices for the General Authority for Land and Dry Ports, the project company, and shipping line agents, and freight, clearance, and transportation companies.