China-Egypt maritime trade girded by port ties

China and Egypt have bolstered their maritime trade relations through enhanced port cooperation. Guangzhou Port in China's Guangdong province has established six container liner routes to Alexandria Port in Egypt, forming a weekly service network. A sister-port relationship between Guangzhou Port and Alexandria Port was formalized in November 2023, signifying a deeper partnership.

This collaboration extends to various sectors like liner route development, smart port initiatives, green port construction, and personnel training. Container transport between Guangzhou and Alexandria ports has surged, with 19,500 TEUs moving between the ports from January to July, a 165.9% year-on-year increase. Most of the container traffic comprises Guangzhou's exports, such as appliances, machinery, vehicles, building materials, textiles, and steel products from the Pearl River Delta region.

Conversely, imports primarily consist of agricultural products, ores, metals, and textile raw materials. Luban-Mozi College, established in Egypt in 2024, serves as a model for China-Egypt cooperation in vocational education and the port industry. The college provides post-secondary education, vocational training, teacher exchanges, and standard development.

It has introduced digital training resources and bilingual textbooks, leading to the graduation of 79 students who are now in demand by Mediterranean coast port companies. Short-term training programs for port professionals from Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and other nations also feature in the college's curriculum.