In an important day for the maritime transport and logistics sector in Egypt, Egyptian prime minister/ Dr. Mustafa Madbouly and his deputy for industrial development and minister of industry and transport Lieutenant general / Kamel El Wazir have witnessed transport ministry celebration, represented in Damietta port authority, for operating and launching of first voyage of Egyptian/ Italian Ro-Ro line. The celebration was attended by Dr. Ayman ElShehaby, Damietta governorate and admiral/ Tarek Adly, head of Damietta port authority and ambassador/ Mikly kwaroni, Italy ambassador in Cairo and maritime transport leaders.
Prime minister Mustafa Madbouly: this step comes within the framework of president Sisi instructions to strengthen Egypt capability to become a central logistic region between Europe and Africa in addition to increasing trade opportunities and supporting Egyptian exports of industrial products and agricultural crops through facilitating the Egyptian products entrance to the European market.
The minister: I congratulate the president and the Egyptians for this important launch of the line that will participate in opening new exporting markets for the Egyptian exports of agricultural commodities to Italian and European market.
He also declared that this step represents a fruitful outcome of the great exerted efforts between the Egyptian and Italian sides to facilitate sustainable operation of this Ro- Ro line between Egypt and Italy for the transport of cargo using dry and refrigerated trucks reefers in order to establish a green channel between Egypt and Italy; showing strong distinguished relationship between the two countries.
He also pointed out that this line will strengthen benefitting from European expertise in the field of land transport and supports reducing freight costs and time of cargo arrival, hence strengthening the Egyptian product competitiveness in such markets. This in addition to providing with direct and indirect job opportunities for employees for transport and shipping companies and agencies, as it provides with more than 2000 job opportunity for Egyptian drivers.
During the celebration events prime minister has listened to the speeches of Mr. Lares Hovman, head of DFDS company and Mr. Marwan ElShazly, deputy head of Pan Marine Group Co. where they thanked the Egyptian and Italian governments and all partners for such great achievement which will have its positive impact on relationships between the two countries, assuring that this line will allow for the rapid arrival of products to all European countries, where the shipment will take no more than two and a half days between the ports of Triesta and Damietta compared with about 6 days by traditional ways.
Ambassador/ Miky Kwaroni has delivered a speech in which he assured that such line comes after many months of joint work between the Egyptian and Italian authorities and private sector operators, pointing out that this line will make European and Italian products easily reach not only Egyptian market but also to African market and the Middle East through Egypt gate, also it will allow for exported Egyptian commodities to Italian Triesta port to spread to all European market; strengthening cooperation in the field of agriculture between the two countries and which is considered currently a priority for the Italian government.
Ambassador of Italy in Cairo has praised the line operators who have undergone such important step and launched the project and that he might soon request more from them of vessels to strengthen the project targets, pointing out that the line is expected to participate in increasing container traffic between Mediterranean ports with a percentage 35% annually till year 2027.
The ambassador again thanked the minister and his team for their commitment that allowed for the line launch today after many years of arrangements, he also thanked all parties of Egyptian and Italian authorities and the public and private sectors for their effective cooperation to achieve such project. After which all attendees were directed to the platform where they witnessed shipping cars traffic from warehouses to the vessel “OLYMPOS SEAWAYS” which is considered the first vessel affiliated to cargo traffic navigational line ( Ro-Ro) between Damietta and Triesta ports.
Moreover, it has been pointed out that the line weekly dates from Damietta to Triesta and vice versa is: arrival of the vessel on Thursday 3pm every week to Damietta port coming from Triesta and its departure to Triesta carrying Egyptian products on Friday morning every week, then its arrival to Triesta port at 6pm, and the cargo and Egyptian products will be transported successively to Triesta port , Rotterdam port at Netherland by a special train for Egyptian products transport, so as to transport by land products to different Netherlands countries, England and Belgium.
The minister has also declared that transport ministry since start of negotiations between Egyptian and Italian sides in 2018/2019 has supported the project and coordinated with all ministries and concerned bodies to facilitate all procedural and operational obstacles for the line. Furthermore, there have been complete coordination with the Italian side and constituting working groups from experts of both countries concerning all project aspects (port cooperation-vessels’ operators on the line- Customs cooperation- land transport- transported cargo)
The minister added that ports’ fees have been reduced with a percentage of 88% and that reciprocity is to be applied, also the reduce of traffic fees on Egyptian roads from 300 American dollars for every imported shipment and 350 American dollars for every exported shipment to become 100 American dollars whether for the exported or the imported, also all legal documents for the line have been signed in between( ( ports’ memo- Customs cooperation memo- declaration of intent of the line – the international transport governmental agreement for the line service- land transport governmental memorandum of understanding)
The minister moreover declared that within the frame work of the return voyage support, so as not to make the Egyptian side bear any operational financial burdens, Damietta port has been added to the ministerial resolution number 682 for the year 2007 for the establishment of a specialized Customs committee for fabrics release and its manufactures in order to fulfil economic operation for the line.
