Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Sunday inaugurated multiple maritime terminals in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) at East Port Said, a ceremony highlighting Egypt's strategic push to become a major regional logistics and transport centre. The event began with Quranic recitations and a documentary, "10 Years of Achievements," before speeches from Egyptian officials and international partners. Keith Svendsen, Executive Vice President of A.P. Moller – Maersk, praised Sisi's leadership and Egypt's role in regional stability, and announced plans to expand Maersk's investments in Egypt. Olivier De Noray, Chairman of the Suez Canal Automotive Terminal (SCAT), said the economic zone serves as a gateway to Africa, with the company's projects supporting vehicle production and exports. Tarek Fathy, President of Sky Ports Group, emphasised that the group's initiatives will help position Egypt as a global logistics hub, with the multipurpose terminal inaugurated via video link. During the inauguration ceremony, SCZONE Chairman Waleid Gamal El-Dein said the zone had generated more than 136,000 direct jobs and attracted $11.6 billion in investments between 2016 and 2025, including efforts to localise industry and develop green hydrogen production. East Port Said, he added, is now Africa's largest container port and the third largest globally. Following the inauguration, Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir outlined Egypt's ambitious strategy to develop its ports. He noted that the country has now become a regional hub for transport, logistics, and transit trade, with 14 ports upgraded and five new ports constructed under a comprehensive national plan aimed at positioning Egypt as a global centre for transport and logistics. President Sisi, speaking during the ceremony, emphasised the importance of the upgrades and new projects, saying, "These achievements are the result of joint effort, strategic planning, and Egypt's unique geographic advantage as a gateway between continents." He urged faster project execution, calling on all parties involved to "complete these initiatives at higher speeds so Egypt can take its natural place among the world's leading logistics hubs." The Egyptian president also highlighted the broader impact of the developments, adding, "Our ports, railways, roads, and energy projects together demonstrate the tangible results of our commitment to building a modern infrastructure that serves current and future generations." The ceremony concluded with a commemorative photo of Sisi with ministers and Maersk executives. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
