Egypt and Abu Dhabi Ports have finalized an agreement to build cruise ship terminals in several Egyptian ports.
These ports include Safaga, Hurghada, and Sharm El-Sheikh. The official signatories are the General Authority of Red Sea Ports on behalf of Egypt and Abu Dhabi Ports Group.
Safaga and Hurghada are modern terminals that were inaugurated in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Sharm El-Sheikh terminal will be upgraded and redeveloped in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Ports Group.
Kamel al-Wazir, Minister of Transport, said that the goal of this partnership is to ensure the arrival and frequency of the largest possible number of global ships to Egyptian ports, as well as to double port operating capacity and expand transit trade.
Regarding the expected returns from the new contract, he stressed that Abu Dhabi Ports is planning on investing $4.7 million to develop the infrastructure to accommodate this type of luxury tourism. This will cover the management and operation of the three cruise ship terminals.
There will also be indirect returns, such as job creation, revenue from tourist destinations, and various tourist activities. This will contribute to increasing national income.
Photo credit: On the go tours website.
