## Egypt’s New Logistics Zone at Damietta Port
In a significant move for Egypt’s export sector, Kamel Al-Wazir, the Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, reaffirmed that work has started on a logistics zone at Damietta Port. This development aims to streamline cargo handling and ensure quicker customs clearance processes, providing a substantial boost for exporters.
### Enhancing Export Efficiencies
Al-Wazir highlighted the strategic advantages of utilizing the Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) shipping line connecting Damietta to Trieste, Italy. This service is notable for its speed, transporting refrigerated containers filled with fresh produce in just 34 hours. The Trieste Port’s connection to a broader railway network across Europe significantly reduces logistical time and costs, making it an appealing option for companies aiming to expand their export capabilities.
### Agricultural Export Facility Opens
During a recent visit to the Damietta and Dakahlia governorates, Al-Wazir inaugurated a new agricultural export facility, along with three pharmaceutical production lines at a cosmetics manufacturing site in the Gamasa Industrial Zone. Among these, the Agro Green facility is particularly noteworthy.
This facility spans 11,000 square meters with an investment of EGP 300 million, designed to produce 30,000 tonnes of fresh, processed, and packaged vegetables for export annually. Impressively, all products are created using 100% locally sourced components, and the company has established itself in key European markets, including the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and France.
### Alignment with National Industrial Strategy
Al-Wazir emphasized the plant’s significance in advancing Egypt’s National Industrial Strategy, which aspires to elevate the industrial sector’s contribution to the GDP from 14% to 20% by 2030. This goal encompasses job creation, enhanced local production, and an overarching shift towards a greener economy.
The Minister outlined a comprehensive framework for industrial growth focused on seven foundational pillars: localizing manufacturing to cut down on imports, expanding the industrial base to enhance export capacity, reopening dormant factories, improving product quality, developing skilled labor, and advancing digital and green technologies.
### Creating Job Opportunities
According to Al-Wazir, this new facility not only fulfills the objectives set in the National Industrial Strategy but also adds value to agricultural products, bolsters export competitiveness, and is expected to generate around 3,000 direct and indirect job opportunities.
The Minister reiterated that the government is actively involved in industrial development by engaging directly with investors instead of solely relying on office-based decision-making. This approach aims to identify and address challenges more effectively. He pledged the government’s dedication to revitalizing idle factories, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and incorporating them into the national industrial production framework to foster balanced growth.
### Success in Agricultural Exports
Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk commended the new facility’s achievement as Egypt’s largest exporter of sweet potatoes to the European Union, underscoring the high quality of the nation’s agricultural products. This year, Egypt’s agricultural exports reached an impressive 7.5 million tonnes, marking an increase of 650,000 tonnes compared to the previous year. This growth demonstrates the effectiveness of state strategies aimed at enhancing value-added agricultural businesses, improving the trade balance, and creating employment opportunities in rural communities.
### Innovations in Cosmetics Manufacturing
Al-Wazir also toured the Egyptian Cosmetics Company’s plant located in Gamasa, which encompasses 4,000 square meters and represents an investment of EGP 200 million. With an annual production capacity of 650 tonnes and a robust focus on local sourcing—80% of the materials used—this facility exports 40% of its production, providing approximately 1,850 direct and indirect jobs.
This concerted effort towards enhancing logistics, production capabilities, and export opportunities marks a pivotal step in Egypt’s journey to fortify its standing in the global market.
