In line with the Egyptian government's head towards green transformation and reducing carbon emissions, and in implementation of the directives of Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel El-Wazir, Minister of Transport aimed at enhancing environmental sustainability in the maritime transport sector, the Alexandria Port Authority received a delegation of international experts from the global consulting firm Haskoning. This delegation is tasked with developing an alternative fuel roadmap for Egypt as part of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) GREENVOYAGE 2050 program. The delegation was received by Rear Admiral Chairman / of the Board of Directors of the Alexandria Port Authority accompanied by several leaders from the Port of Alexandria and the maritime transport and logistics sector as well as the Regional Director of the IMO office in Egypt. A meeting was held to discuss national efforts to support the transition to using alternative and environmentally friendly marine fuels within the framework of the Egyptian government's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The visit included a review of the operational and technical capabilities of the ports of Alexandria and Dekheila and the opportunities available for developing the necessary infrastructure for the production handling and supplying of ships with alternative fuels. This aligns with the accelerating international trend towards decarbonizing the maritime transport sector and promoting the use of low-emission fuels. The meeting also witnessed an exchange of views and experiences between the two sides regarding global best practices in this field and mechanisms for preparing a comprehensive national roadmap that supports the readiness of Egyptian ports to receive ships operating on green fuels in the future, and to provide them with the necessary services in accordance with approved international standards and criteria. A visiting was also conducted to the petroleum and petrochemical handling facilities in the ports of Alexandria and Dekheila to review the available capabilities for handling and supplying fuel and the possibility of implementing an advanced system for producing and supplying low-emission, environmentally friendly fuels. This visit is considered an important step towards strengthening Egypt's position as a regional hub for the production and handling of green alternative marine fuels and supplying ships with them. This will support the competitiveness of Egyptian ports and solidify their role in serving sustainable maritime trade and transport as well as opening new horizons for investment in industries and services related to the green economy. This visit comes as part of a field tour being conducted by the International Consulting Office to a number of Egyptian ports, which began with a visit to the ports of Alexandria and Dekheila, with the aim of assessing current capabilities and available future opportunities. It also comes within the framework of the continuous and fruitful coordination between the Egyptian authorities and the International Maritime Organization especially since the organization’s regional office is located within the port of Alexandriareflecting the importance of the role that Egypt plays in supporting efforts to transition towards green maritime transport at the regional and international levels.
