Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Egypt promotes river transport to ease road congestion

Egypt’s Ministry of Transporthas earmarked around 4 billion Egyptian pounds ($130 million) for new river transport projects, as part of the government’s drive to ease traffic congestion on the country’s roads, reduce transportation costs, and reduce pollution.
A single ship can shift substantial amounts of cargo — equivalent to the load of hundreds of large trucks. Moreover, river transport facilitates connections with other African nations, particularly land-locked countries and those located in the Nile Basin.

According to the ministry, development work has been carried out the Cairo-to-Aswan and Cairo-to-Ismailia maritime routes, while the Ismailia Canal’s navigational bottlenecks have “been eliminated.”

The Cairo-to-Alexandria route has also seen enhancements, along with the river pier at Wadi Halfa port in Sudan. An important part of these developments is the establishment of the Nile River Information Infrastructure System.

Transport Minister Engineer Kamel Al-Wazir said in a press briefing: “River transport is considered one of the most crucial elements of infrastructure and distinguishes itself from other modes of transport by numerous advantages. It is characterized by its low operation and maintenance costs. It is deemed the safest mode of transport, with minimal accidents and energy consumption. In addition, it reduces emissions and is capable of carrying loads of atypical lengths and weights.”

Egypt has entered into agreements with multiple African countries, including Sudan, to bolster river transport and amplify trade exchange. There are plans to connect with Nile Basin countries through the navigational corridor project between Lake Victoria and the Mediterranean Sea.

Wafaa El-Sherbiny, an expert in transportation, told Arab News: “The state’s move toward public transport completely relieves pressure on the roads, and investing in river transport contributes to decreasing the proportion of the general budget spent on road maintenance, in addition to preserving the environment.”

She added that the move also reduces visual, auditory, and air pollution caused by land transport and lowers accident rates resulting from road travel.

“A single river unit can replace approximately 40 land transport trucks. This greatly reduces transportation costs as river transport integrates with land transport through the multimodal transport system to deliver goods and shipments from door to door, a fundamental requirement for the business community,” El-Sherbiny said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
×