The gov’t is pressing ahead with the plan to develop the river transport sector. In a strategic move to bolster logistics and economic growth, the Transport Ministry has launched an updated and comprehensive plan to facilitate the increased movement of goods and passengers along the Nile River. Egypt is calling in private sector players to invest in new river units for the transport of goods across several sectors, including — but not limited to — petroleum materials and mineral resources.

An update? The new strategy is an update to the ministry’s previous comprehensive strategy launched back in 2023. The strategy aimed to outline several areas of development, including the building of a network of river ports, expanding the use of waterways to transport cargo and individuals, and setting up a digital river information services database to guide and manage inland transport.

The bigger picture: The transport sector is projected to garner EGP 560.2 bn in total investments this fiscal year — EGP 401.4 bn in public investments and EGP 158.8 bn in private investments.

Where is the money going? The government is looking to boost river transport freight capacity to 8 mn tons per annum in the fiscal year 2025-2026, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Rania Al Mashat said in April. The government is looking to bring four new and developed river quays and four new river units online this fiscal year, according to a document seen by EnterpriseAM.

REMEMBER- The Transport Ministry’s plan entails creating a network of river ports for the movement of cargo and containers; providing passenger and cargo transport services along the Nile, with ports spread across all governorates; constructing new canal navigation locks that meet modern engineering standards to increase the capacity of the lock system; and clearing, dredging, and maintaining navigational channels to ensure a safe navigation path to facilitate navigation for Nile cruises, tourist ships, and commercial traffic.

It also aims to boost riverways’ share of cargo movements to 10% by 2038, National Nile Company for River Transport advisor Ahmed El Shamy told EnterpriseAM. The target is ambitious yet attainable if Egypt doubles down on upgrading the sector’s infrastructure and modifying the waterways to deepen riverbeds and address other traffic chokeholds.

To sweeten the pot for investors: The River Transport Act — which aims to attract more investment into the country’s inland waterways — was signed into law in 2022 after receiving approval from the House of Representatives. The law opened up the river transport sector to private investment and put the River Transport Authority (RTA) in charge of licensing river boats, Nile cruises and floating units.

Why it matters: Egypt is looking to clamp down the volume of trucks on the road, with a single river unit replacing around 40 land transport trucks. The move would slash the cost of road maintenance as well as cut down on trucking related emissions and road accidents.

REFRESHER- Egypt’s river transport network consists of four primary waterways — Cairo-Damietta, Cairo-Alexandria, Cairo-Aswan, and Cairo-Wadi Halfa. Altogether, the four waterways span 1,770 km. Additionally, there are several secondary waterways in the country’s overall river transport network, which together span another 1.7k km. The majority of the network (3,136 km) can be used for inland water transport, but a smaller proportion (2,192 km) is classified as first-class navigable waterways.

Steering the course: The RTA has tapped an undisclosed Austrian firm to deploy the Nile River Information Services. The system will deploy electronic mapping services for the safe passage for river units, allowing for increased exchange of information between river units and the waterway’s authority.

AD Ports was rumoured to be interested. UAE-based port operation AD Port was reportedly eyeing investing some EUR 500 mn to develop Egypt’s river transport infrastructure. The capital spend would have funded new fuel stations for barges, developing river boats, and bringing amphibious buses to Egypt.

We’re expecting a berth for handling grains in Qena: The RTA is planning to build an EGP 350 mn berth for grain and crop trading at Dandara River Port in Qena. The RTA reportedly tapped homegrown Modern Engineering Consultant Office to consult on and oversee the development of the project, government sources told Al Borsa in January.

Aswan, Sudan river-link could be back on the table: Egypt and Sudan agreed to explore ways to boost cooperation in bilateral river transportation during a meeting between Transport Minister Kamel El Wazir and his Sudanese counterpart Salah Hamed Ismail last month. The government tapped Gharably Integrated Engineering Company (GIEC) and 3A International back in 2023 for a planned river transport line for cargo between Aswan and Sudan, sources told EnterpriseAM at the time.

Looking forward: The government is looking to complete four Nile crossings this fiscal year — Darawi in Aswan, Dairut in Assiut, Al Fashn in Beni Suef, and a new bridge near the Aswan Dam, Al Mashat said.

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