Reinforcing distinguished relationships between Egypt and KSA in the field of maritime transport the eighth session technical committee meeting was held at maritime transport sector headquarters in Alexandria, headed by rear admiral/ Reda Ahmed Ismail, head of maritime transport sector (From the Egyptian side) and Eng. Essam M. ElAmary, maritime transport general authority deputy (from the Saudi side), with the participation of a number of experts and specialists from both countries. The committee aims at promoting cooperation relationships and developing maritime stevedoring operations between ports of both countries and reinforcing and developing passengers’ transporting processes and also yachts’ and cruise vessels’ traffic achieving common interests of both countries.

Where the following agenda was approved in several issues from both sides:

 Reviewing the cooperation agreement approval between the two countries in the field of maritime transport and ports signed 8/4/2016; assuring that it entered into force and that all its articles have been activated in the benefit of relationship between the two countries in the field of maritime transport.

  Also means of reinforcing cooperation in the field of search and rescue between the two countries, where they both saw the importance of identifying focal points in between for joint organization and arrangements, and means of integration between the two countries digital platforms that serves tourist vessels and yachts’ traffic ; facilitating their traffic processes.

  Moreover, they debated making memorandum of understanding between concerned bodies for maritime linkage in order to transport passengers in Aqaba bay between the two countries, for the sake of promoting and developing passengers’ transport process.

 Both sides have also discussed the importance of coordination between Neom port and Egyptian ports; serving passengers and cargo’ transport traffic, and developing systems to facilitate stevedoring processes, where both sides saw importance of identifying focal points  to coordinate in this respect.

 A visit has also been organized to Suez Canal authority to overview the process of vessels’ entrance and departure, time schedules, and procedures especially of night transport and Express traffic services, and crossing yachts’ crew inspection in case of their stoppage at Port Said port or yacht berthing at Ismailia

The committee concluded in an atmosphere of understanding and friendliness and hope for better future cooperation.