Arsenale SpA And ENR To Launch Egypt’s First Luxury Tourist Train ‘Guardian Of The Nil

Monday, July 1, 2024

Arsenale SpA, Egypt’s National Railways (ENR), and MERMEC sign new infrastructure and mobility agreements under the ‘Mattei Plan for Africa,’ boosting connectivity and sustainability.

During the ongoing EU-Egypt Investment Conference in Cairo, inaugurated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Italy has unveiled key initiatives in infrastructure and sustainable mobility as part of the ‘Mattei Plan for Africa’. The agreements were signed in the presence of Egypt’s Minister of Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, and Italy’s Ambassador to Cairo, Michele Quaroni.

Arsenale SpA and the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) have signed a deal to introduce Egypt’s first luxury tourist train, the ‘Guardian of the Nile’, manufactured in Italy. Additionally, MERMEC SpA and ENR have agreed to develop the ECTS Level 1 railway signalling system for the Al-Fardan – Bir al-Abd and Balouza – East Port Said lines, a project valued at 130 million euros. This initiative is crucial for connecting the East Port Said station with the broader railway network, improving safety, and reducing CO2 emissions, aligning with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the European Green Deal. MERMEC, supported by Italian institutions, plans to establish a center of excellence for signalling and infrastructure design in Egypt, strengthening its foothold in the country.

SACE, the Italian Export Credit Agency, has concluded two significant Memoranda of Understanding with Egypt’s Ministry of Transport and the Commercial International Bank (CIB). These agreements, worth 920 million euros, aim to support sustainable transportation projects and bolster Italian exports through export credit insurance and guarantee programs. Furthermore, Italian company Movyon and Egyptian firm Elsewedy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop smart and sustainable mobility solutions. Their collaboration includes creating a new company to oversee the maintenance and operation of intelligent transport systems on Egyptian highways over the next decade, with a 200 million euro investment.

“These four projects confirm Italy’s commitment to supporting the growth and modernisation of Egyptian infrastructure, while also promoting environmental sustainability and technological innovation. This is a concrete way to invest in Egypt responsibly and to the benefit of both markets, Italian and Egyptian, in line with the ‘Mattei Plan’ launched by Prime Minister Meloni,” said the Italian Ambassador to Cairo, Michele Quaroni.

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