Egypt’s PPP Central Unit has invited potential bidders to prequalify for its Nile River Bus Ferry public-private partnership (PPP) project

The contract involves financing, developing, operating and maintaining the freight and passenger transport service for 25 years.

The deadline for prequalification is 29 June 2016.

This is Egypt’s first transport PPP project, as other transport investment is being funded by development banks.

The service currently has nine boats and 16 terminals in a poor condition.

The work involves procuring and operating 30 boats. The original 16 terminals will be rehabilitated, and 14 new ones designed and built.

The UK’s EY is the transaction and financial adviser for the project. Other advisers to the PPP Central Unit, the General Transportation Authorization in Cairo and Cairo Governorate are Eversheds (UK) WSP PB (UK), Arab Legal Consultants (local) and Dorsch Gruppe (Germany).

The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development is negotiating to finance the project.

The PPP Central Unit awarded its previous project, Abu Rawash wastewater treatment plant, to a consortium of local Orascom, France’s Veolia and Spain’s FCC Aqualia. The developers have been unable to reach a financial close due to the hard currency scarcity in Egypt.