Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir witnessed the signing of construction contract for two multi-purpose ships MPC14K between Alkahera Company for Ferries and Maritime Transport (KCFMT), affiliated to the Ministry of Transport, and Korean Daesun Shipbuilding and Engineering, in the presence of Seok Lee, the commercial attache of the South Korean embassy in Egypt.
The contract was signed by Wael Mohamed El Khaleq, Chairperson and Managing Director of KCFMT, and Deputy Chairperson of Daesun Sung-Geun Lee.
The Minister of Transport stated that this signature includes KCFMT cooperating with the DAESUN Shipbuilding to build 2 multi-purpose ships in accordance with the best international specifications in the shipbuilding industry. The capacity of the holds is 15,800 m3, a tonnage of 14,000 tonnes, a speed of 14 knots, a container load of 709 containers. In addition to, refrigerated containers, 98 containers for each ship and the best technologies that provide flexibility in operating the two ships, which will in turn allow Egyptian exports to reach regional markets, especially since general cargo ships are designed to transport a wide range of goods such as general cargo, bulk cargo, heavy cargo, vehicles such as cars, project cargo such as oil rigs, wind turbines and other large infrastructure components, refrigerated cargo such as fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood.
On the timing of delivery of the two contracted ships, the minister explained that the first ship will be delivered in February 2025, and the second ship will be delivered in April 2025.
Al-Wazir said, “There is also a plan to support KCFMT with four other ships to own six ships in addition to the two ferries Cairo and Riyadh, which are currently owned and operated by the company.”
He added that the Ministry of Transport is developing the Egyptian commercial fleet through the development of companies of National Navigation, and Arab Bridge Maritime and KCFMT, where it is intended to add 6 ships with high-tech specifications to the fleet of KCFMT, such as multi-purpose ships, ro-ro and passenger ships.
Besides, the Ministry is developing other national shipping companies, the National Navigation Company recently added a modern ship with a tonnage of 83,000 tonnes to the company’s fleet of dry bulk ships (Valley of the Kings), where the ship will be launched later this year as part of a comprehensive plan to develop and replacing the old ships with the company. The number of commercial ships in the National Navigation Company reached 13 ships (12 bulk ships – 1 container ship).
