January 13, 2024
H.E. Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, Minister of Transport of the Arab Republic of Egypt, announced the official delivery of the bulk carrier “Wadi Al-Arish” to the National Navigation Company (NNC), one of the Ministry of Transport’s affiliated companies. The vessel, with a total cargo capacity of 82,000 tons, was received from China’s Jiangsu Hantong Shipyard, one of the world’s largest specialized shipyards for dry bulk carriers. “Wadi Al-Arish” officially joined Egypt’s national commercial fleet in January 2024.
The Minister emphasized that this vessel represents a milestone for Egypt’s commercial fleet due to its state-of-the-art navigational technology, compliance with global environmental standards, and advanced specifications. The vessel measures 229 meters in length, 32.26 meters in width, and has a draft of 14.5 meters.
Minister El-Wazir highlighted the significance of this day for the maritime transport sector, a key division within the Ministry of Transport. “Wadi Al-Arish” is the second vessel delivered to reinforce NNC’s fleet within less than seven months, following the “Wadi Al-Muluk” vessel, which was inaugurated by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during the official opening of the Tahya Misr Multipurpose Terminal at Alexandria Port in June 2023. This marks a significant step in expanding and modernizing Egypt’s national fleet in line with presidential directives.
With this addition, the National Navigation Company’s fleet now consists of 14 Egyptian vessels, ensuring the secure transport of strategic commodities to Egypt, particularly wheat shipments for the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC).
The Minister also outlined the Ministry of Transport’s strategy to expand its affiliated fleet to 31 vessels by 2030, covering companies such as National Navigation Company, Arab Bridge Maritime, Cairo Ferries, and the Egyptian Petroleum Tanker Company. This expansion aims to enable Egypt’s commercial fleet to handle 20 million tons of cargo annually, supporting the transportation of strategic goods, including grains, petroleum, and passengers, between Egypt and international markets.