Egypt’s transport ministry, along with the public-private partnership (PPP) central unit – affiliated to the finance ministry, will start accepting technical and financial tenders for building the first dry port in 6th of October Industrial Zone, west Cairo, as of July 11, Invest-Gate reports.

Three consortia are racing for the tender; one led by Container Corporation of India and includes Hassan Allam Holding (HAH) and Singapore’s PSA; another made up of UAE’s DP World and Holding Company for Land and Marine Transport; the third one comprised of Egypt-based Elsewedy Electric, Schenker Egypt, and Egypt’s 3A International, the finance ministry said in an official statement on June 11.

The 100-acre development is the first of seven dry ports the two ministries are expected to cooperatively establish. It will be built “as a port for customs clearance of containers handled through the Alexandria and Dekheila ports, which will contribute to easing container traffic,” according to the statement, noting that the new project will operate full inspection and customs procedures.

An international identification number for the ports will be set on-site, where the shipping can be directly taken to the port as a final destination, Atter Hannoura, head of PPP central unit, revealed, elaborating that these dry ports will provide all services within the framework of the state’s plan to develop the transport system as one of the pillars of economic growth. “Essentially, this will also contribute to facilitating the movement of foreign trade,” he stressed.

Hannoura pointed out that the contract for the implementation and operation of 6th of October City’s dry port will only last for 30 years, however, the project’s ownership will then be transferred to the state. Meanwhile, according to the official, the PPP central unit is working on the preparation of all the required mechanisms of tenders for the forthcoming dry ports of 10th of Ramadan and Beni Suef areas.