Minister of Transport: Egypt will be the first country to manufacture mobile units in the Middle East and Africa 09/11/2021 | 03:21 PM
The team, Engineer Kamel Al-Wazir-Minister of Transport, witnessed the signing of a framework agreement between the National Authority for Tunnels and the Hyundai Rotem/Nerc Federation of Companies to localize the metro train industry through the manufacture and supply of 320 vehicles for the second and third subway lines, in order to meet the expected increase in the number of passengers in the two lines.
It was signed during the activities of the “Trans MEA2021 Intelligent Transport and Logistics” exhibition and conference today, Monday, from the Egyptian side, Engineer Essam Wali, President of the National Authority for Tunnels, and on the part of Hyundai Rotem, Yeonjun Kim, Senior Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company, and on the part of the Egyptian National Company for Railway Industry Iron "Nerc" Dr. Ahmed Fikri Managing Director of the company.
The Lieutenant-General, Engineer Kamel Al-Wazir, Minister of Transport, explained that within the framework of expanding the fleet of trains operating on the third metro line, to accommodate the increase in transport volumes expected after the opening of the third phase of the line, which is currently being implemented, to transport the line after its completion of 1.5 million passengers/day. Increasing the fleet of trains operating on the second line, to transport 1.4 million passengers/day, in order to reduce congestion on the sidewalks and accommodate the transport volumes used in the metro, which is witnessing a steady increase annually.
The minister also stressed that, in accordance with the directives of the political leadership, to settle many industries within the Arab Republic of Egypt, including the manufacture of mobile units and their local production of high quality to provide new vehicles for the various metro and electric traction projects, which are currently witnessing unprecedented prosperity, and the signing of this memorandum is a continuation of the fruitful cooperation with the company. The Korean company, which had previously supplied 20 air-conditioned trains for the first line, all entered service, and were manufactured with the participation of the Arab Company for Railway Missions (SEMAF) factory to encourage national industries, as well as 6 trains for the second metro line were supplied, and final tests are underway on them in preparation for their entry into service, This cooperation helps in transferring advanced technology in this industry, which needs a large number of workers, which creates direct job opportunities. This industry also needs many feeding industries, which creates more indirect job opportunities.
He pointed out that this cooperation in the field of manufacturing mobile units preserves for Egypt its leadership by being the first country to manufacture mobile units in the Middle East and Africa, and also represents the first step in realizing the dream of Egypt being one of the major industrial countries and providing all the needs of the huge national projects implemented by the state in the field of Underground metro projects and electrical traction means to provide the volume of borrowing in foreign currency, which the state used to import these trains.
It will also open new horizons for increasing the national income by exporting to all countries of the world, especially the African continent.