The Egyptian Transport Ministry-affiliated AlKahera Company for Ferries andMaritime Transport (KCFMT) and Korean shipbuilder Dae Sun will build two MPC14K multi-purpose ships under an agreement signed yesterday, according to a ministry statement. The agreement comes as part of Egypt’s plans to build a strong commercial fleet to boost its trade to regional markets and leverage its strategic location on the Red and Mediterranean seas, the statement said, without disclosing the value of the agreement.

The timeline: The first ship will be delivered in February 2025, and the second in April 2025, according to the statement.

About the ships: The two 15.8k cubic meter ships will hold 14k tons of cargo, and will be able to load 709 containers, 98 of which are refrigerated. The ships will be built to hold cargo ranging from bulk cargo, heavy cargo, and vehicles, wind turbines, and infrastructure components to refrigerated cargo including fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood, according to the statement.

More coming?A plan to build more cargo ships in Egypt in cooperation with Dae Sun and other international firms is also in the works, Egyptian Transport Minister Kamel El Wazir said.

Background: KCFMT is owned by the Egyptian Port Authority. The addition of the two multipurpose ships comes as part of a wider plan to expand KCFMT’s fleet to a total of six high tech multi-purpose ships, according to the statement.

Tags: