Other firms that submitted an offer for the contract include:

• Archirodon (Greece)
• Six Construct (Belgium) /Orascom (Egypt)
• Bam International (Netherlands) / Van Oord (Netherlands)
• Jan de Nul (Luxembourg)

Bids for the contract were submitted in September last year.

The project is part of the port's long-term expansion plan thatincludes an integrated logistics area and a general cargo terminal.

Sokhna Port has the capacity to handle up to 14 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container  and 4 million tonnes of general cargo annually.

DP World Sokhna is a subsidiary of Dubai-based ports operator DP World.

It is understood that 14 global shipping lines including CGM-SMA, APL, Maersk and Cosco call at the port. Unlike other hubs in Egypt that cater to trans-shipment traffic, Sokhna port primarily handles goods that are exported to or imported by Egypt.

It is located below the southern entrance to the Suez Canal and is the closest port to the capital Cairo, where it has extensive road and rail access.

On 28 February, Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority (SCZone) and  DP World signed an agreement to implement the first phase of the development of an integrated industrial and residential zone in Sokhna city.

The framework agreement establishes a clear timetable of actions required to execute the first phase of the project, whiuch entails the development of 30 square kilometres of the planned 75 square-kilometre zone.

SCZone and DP World formed a joint venture in November last year for the new cluster.

SCZone owns 51 per cent of the joint venture, with the rest owned by DP World, which will also manage the zone.

The development is in line with the Egyptian government’s plan to develop the Suez Canal corridor and the new administrative capital by attracting foreign direct investment.

The industrial zone will target medical, electronics and communications, construction materials, logistics, textiles, automotive parts, food processing, energy production components and petrochemicals, the statement said.

The residential zone will span 20 square kilometres to include coastal villas, residential units, shopping and administrative centres, entertainment facilities, mosques, schools, hospitals, clubs and green spaces. It is expected to host up to 500,000 residents upon completion.

DP World began operating the container terminal at Sokhna port in 2008.