Port operators in Egypt have floated several large tenders over the past week as part of an effort to boost economic growth in the country.

Egypt’s ports and the Suez Canal are vital drivers of revenue for the North African country, accounting for a large proportion of its foreign reserves.

In the first tender, the Red Sea Ports Authority is seeking contractors to build a marine jetty and a containers terminal on a 560,000 square metre plot at the Port of Safaga. The port is located on the Red Sea, approximately 60 kilometres south of Hurghada. With a depth reaching 16 metres, vessel capacity at the port can accommodate up to 60,000 tonnes, with daily shipping volume recorded at 12,000 tonnes. Prices for the build, operate, transfer (BOT) contract are due on 6 July.  

The second tender issued by the authority is for a marine jetty and a multipurpose terminal at the port of El-Tor on an 85,000 square metre plot. The port is currently being used by a petroleum company under a ten-year leasing contract, which is set to expire mid-2014.

The authority aims to convert El-Tor Sea Port on the east side of the Suez into a cargo sea port. The deadline for bids is 20 July. The bid bond for both tenders is $1m.

The third tender, issued by the Alexandria Port Authority, is for a project to design, build, manage, and re-handover the third container terminal at the port for a concession period of 30 years. The deadline for bids is 26 June. The bid bond is $2m.