The contract was signed by Mohamed Soliman Metwally, Managing Director of the National Navigation Company, and Meng Xinjun, Chairman of Huangtong Shipyard. The ceremony was attended by Major General Ashraf El-Louzy, Assistant Minister of Transport for Authorities and Companies, Dr. Amr Moustafa, Head of the Maritime and Land Transport Holding Company, and Engineer Mohamed Fathy, Assistant Minister of Transport for Maritime Transport.
Al-Wazir stated that the agreement aligns with President
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's directives to transform Egypt into a regional hub for
transport, logistics, and transit trade, and to restore the strength of the Egyptian
commercial fleet as a vital economic tool and a cornerstone of the national
economy. He added that the contract extends fruitful cooperation with Huangtong
Shipyard, one of the world's largest shipyards specializing in this type of
vessel, known for its ability to execute projects using the latest global
designs and technologies.
The Minister emphasized that the two new ships will be built
to the latest current and future environmental specifications, incorporating
advanced hull designs to reduce fuel consumption. Each vessel will feature a
MAN B&W main engine with a continuous maximum power of 7,490 kilowatts,
equipped with advanced systems to minimize emissions and comply with current
and future global environmental requirements, ensuring high performance and
economic energy consumption. The ships will also be fitted with the latest
navigation systems for optimal operation.
Each vessel will have a total capacity of 82,000 tons,
measuring 229 meters in length, 32.26 meters in width, and with a draft of 14.5
meters. Delivery is slated for September and November 2028.
Al-Wazir noted that this signing marks a continuation of a series of crucial contracts by the NNC to bolster its commercial fleet. In the past two years, the 82,000-ton Kamsarmax vessel "Wadi El Molouk" was launched, with President Sisi raising the Egyptian flag on it during the presidential inauguration of the "Tahya Misr" multi-purpose terminal at Alexandria Port in mid-June 2023. This was followed by the delivery of the 82,000-ton Kamsarmax vessel "Wadi El Arish" in January 2024, on which Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly witnessed the raising of the Egyptian flag during the launch of the first voyage of the Egyptian-Italian Ro-Ro line at the end of November 2024.