World Bank approves $400m green plan for logistics and transportation in Egypt

World Bank approves $400m green plan for logistics and transportation in Egypt

WASHINGTON: The World Bank has approved a $400 million development-financing agreement to help boost Egypt’s logistics and transportation sectors and facilitate the transition to low-carbon technology along the Alexandria–the 6th of October–Greater Cairo Area railway corridor. The Egyptian railway system is one of the largest in Africa. Although the main focus along the Alexandria–the 6th of October–Greater Cairo Area corridor is on passenger services, there are also three freight trains in both directions each day. The Cairo Alexandria Trade Logistics Development Project plans to build a railway bypass to circumvent the congested corridor. It will provide freight trains with an alternate route to the west of the Greater Cairo area, between the Alexandria Sea Port and the new 6th of October Dry Port. By 2030, the bypass is expected to allow 15 container trains a day to access the dry port, and 50 by 2060. More freight trains will run between Alexandria Port, Upper Egypt and the Red Sea. The transportation sector is the second-largest contributor to Egypt’s greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for more than 19 percent of the total, but the carbon footprint of transporting containers and other freight by train is smaller than that of road transportation. The