Lieutenant general Eng/ Kamel El Wazir Deputy prime minister for industrial development and industry and transport minister has witnessed the launch of announcement conference of the new Egyptian/ Italian Ro-Ro line between the ports of (Damietta- Triesta) this in the attendance of Mr. Alaa Eldin Farouk, agriculture and land reclamation minister and Dr. Rania ElMashaat planning, economic development and international cooperation minister, and also head of General Investment authority and vice head of DEDS and head of Pan Marine Group. The minister declared in his speech the following:
1-The ro-ro line comes within the framework of implementing HE president Sisi constructions to convert Egypt into a transport, logistics and transit trade regional center, and opening Egyptian exports markets of agricultural commodities in Italian and European market to serve the national economy.
2-On the twenty nineth of current November is the start of service of the line; by the departure of the first vessel from Damietta port to Triesta port.
El Wazir, has also declared that the conference combines between representatives of the government and the private sector whether the Egyptian, Italian or internationally Also pointing out that since the start of transport ministry negotiations about the project with the Italian party in the year 2018and 2019, there was support and coordination between all ministries and concerned entities to overcome any operational or procedural obstacles to facilitate working of this line. Again, there has been complete coordination with the Italian side and constituting working groups from experts of both countries to debate different project elements (port’s cooperation- vessels’ operators working on the line- Customs cooperation- land transport- transported cargo).
Adding that the Egyptian state has provided will all sorts of incentives to ensure continuity and economical operation and were included in the following:
1- Reducing ports’ dues with a percentage 88%; applying reciprocity
2- Reducing traffic fees on Egyptian roads from 300 American dollars for each imported shipment and 350 American dollars for each exported shipment; to become 100 American dollars whether for the exported or the imported
3- All legal documents have been signed to run the line with the Italian counterparts (port’s memorandum- Customs cooperation memorandum- declaration of intent with the line on the ship- the governmental agreement for global transport for the ro- ro line service – governmental MOU for land transport)
Moreover, he pointed out that Damietta port has been added to the ministerial resolution number 682 for the year 2007 for the establishment of a specialized committee for Customs release on fabrics and manufactures to fulfil economic operation of the line. Also adding that no doubt the promotion propagation for the line and transported cargo is a priority for the project success and this was done in cooperation with Italian commercial agency and agricultural crops export council, Chamber of Commerce General Union, Egyptian Italian Business Council, also there have been exhibitions abroad as Fruit Logistica Berlin and Macfruit. Furthermore, declaring that the ministry has succeeded in cooperation with the concerned ministries to overcome obstacles and schedule the project actual implementation date and start of service as follows:
- On the 23rd of November 2024 the arrival of the first vessel to Damietta port to unload the shipment of trailers and empty containers and to wait in anchorage region of Damietta port
- On 29th of November 2024 is the actual date of the start of departure service of the vessel from Damietta port at 10am and its arrival to Triesta port on 2nd of December 2024, and there will be a ceremony on this occasion for the launch of the first actual voyage of the line on Friday 29th of November 2024.
And in her speech Dr. Rania El Mashaat, minister of planning, economic development and international cooperation has assured on the project importance and its participation in the increase in Egyptian exports of agricultural crops to the European market, declaring that such progress that transport sector witnesses reflects positively on other different sectors first of which is trade and investment, and supports foreign investments attraction to Egyptian market and increases operation rates and consequently economic growth rates.
From his side, Mr. Alaa Farouk, agriculture and land reclamation minister has assured on the importance of the line launch, as it supports rapid maritime transport system and reduces arrival time of Egyptian cargo to Europe hence increasing Italian investments in Egypt. Farouk also said that ministry of agriculture has exerted great efforts to strengthen agricultural exports competitiveness and developing the quarantine system represented in the follow up and coding, through the follow up of agricultural products that are to be exported and its firm control and supervision on which; starting from the farm until the imported state arrival port under complete supervision of concerned entities represented in the quarantine and technical bodies. Agriculture minister has declared that our agricultural exports participate in maximizing foreign currency cash reserve and in the last period total manufactured and fresh Egyptian agricultural exports value has reached about 9.2 milliard dollars.
Furthermore, the system of unified laboratories in Customs, in order to unite all supervisory authorities in one place has been established to reduce the time of Customs release of exported and imported cargo, leading to release in 48 hours or less according to the type of commodity and also E linkage with specialized labs in sample analysis. Farouk has again assured that the launch of this ro-ro line is one of the important achievements of transport ministry and maritime transport and logistics sector, and looking forward to the increase in Italian investments in Egypt.
