French shipping and logistics firm CMA CGM has entered into a strategic agreement to acquire a 35% share in October Dry Port (ODP), Egypt’s pioneering dry port project. This development is part of a broader cooperation framework between France and Egypt, formalized during President Emmanuel Macron’s recent official visit to Cairo.
October Dry Port
October Dry Port, inaugurated in 2023, is Egypt’s first dry port and also the country’s first public-private partnership (PPP) in the transportation sector developed under the EBRD Green Cities program. The port was built and is operated by Elsewedy Electric, in collaboration with the General Authority for Land and Dry Ports (GALDP).
This investment by CMA CGM includes a management agreement, giving the company a direct role in the operational management and future development of the inland logistics and rail platform. ODP is linked to all of Egypt’s major seaports, acting as a central logistics hub that enhances cargo handling efficiency, shortens clearance times, and alleviates congestion at maritime ports.
CMA CGM, which already manages the Tahya Misr container terminal at the Port of Alexandria and is preparing to open a new terminal at Sokhna Port, sees the ODP partnership as a strategic move to strengthen its services in Greater Cairo, Upper Egypt, and trade routes across the Mediterranean and Red Sea regions.
According to Christine Cabau Woehrel, Executive Vice President at CMA CGM, the partnership is a crucial step toward promoting low-emission, rail-based logistics solutions in Egypt. She emphasized that the investment aligns with CMA CGM’s global maritime operations and commitment to efficient, door-to-door logistics offerings.
The transaction is still pending final regulatory approvals and standard closing conditions. Egypt’s Minister of Transport and Deputy Prime Minister, Kamel El-Wazir, witnessed the signing ceremony and highlighted the partnership’s alignment with Egypt’s national strategy to increase private sector involvement in logistics. He pointed out that the initiative supports the government’s plan to establish seven integrated logistics corridors that will connect industrial areas with seaports through an improved rail and road network.
This collaboration is expected to enhance the flow of imports and exports, simplify customs procedures, and improve overall efficiency in Egypt’s logistics sector, solidifying the country’s role as a regional hub for trade and transport.