Egypt is planning to tender nine dry ports and logistics centres over nine years, according to Gamal Hegazi, chairman of the General Authority for Land and Dry Ports.

The ports will be procured using build-operate-transfer (BOT) and public-private partnership (PPP) contracts.

“The government doesn’t know how to do dry ports, so we will bring in operators with an international reputation,”? says Hegazi. “When we have built up capabilities we will do it ourselves or leave it to the private sector, whatever best serves Egypt. PPP is the best way but we need to do it fast so we might use BOT.”

The first dry ports in October 6 City and Ramadan City will be tendered in early 2016.

The EBRD is studying the 100 acre October 6 project and preparing tender documents.

There will be three phases of three dry ports each. Other sites include Burg Al Arab, Sadat City (75 acres), New Damietta (15 acres), Golden Triangle, New Beni Suef, New Sohag, Kostal (300 acres), Arkeel (300 acres)?, East Port Said, and Waiba City.

Egypt is also preparing new legislation for multi modal transport.

Currently Egypt has just one dry port in Suez, managed by the military.