The Ministry of Transport is set to relaunch a ferry crossing between Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada next week, after the seven-year suspension of the service.
The governors of the Red Sea and South Sinai governorate and the head of the Red Sea Ports Authority will attend the inauguration of the service on June 9.
The commander of the ferry "Labesbes", Awad Abdel Samee, said his boat will be one of the fleet operating on the new crossing. He praised the relaunch of the service, saying it will promote the flow of tourism between two of the most important touristic cities on the Red Sea.
"Labesbes" can carry 300 passengers and has been inspected by the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety (EAFMS), he added.
According to Samee, one-way tickets will cost LE370 and return tickets LE630. He explained that the crossing takes two and a half hours, as opposed to the 9 hour trip around the bay by bus.
In related news, the Red Sea Ports Authority announced that it expects an influx of Egyptian expatriates in June, returning to Egypt to spend the month of Ramadan at home. Chairman of the authority Hesham Abu Senna said ferries operating on the crossings between Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have been inspected to ensure the safety of passengers.
Preparations are also being made and precautions taken at the ports of Nuweiba, Safaga and Hurghada; the crossing points from which pilgrims will depart for Saudi Arabia on Hajj this Ramadan.
The month of Ramadan will start on June 6, 2016.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
