The Greek-Egypt Joint Committee on Maritime Affairs met in Alexandria, with the participation from the Greek side of the Secretary General of Ports and Port Policy Evangelos Kyriazopoulos, Secretary General of Tourism Promotion Myron Flouris, senior officials of the Ministry of Shipping and representatives from the ports of Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Volos and Elefsis.
The aim is the development of the coastal shipping connections between the ports of the two countries, the continuous cooperation in the cruise sector, but also the education and training of seamen.
It is noted that one of the proposals includes the routing of a passenger ferry between Volos and Alexandria, an issue for which a viability study of the specific line is expected to be drawn up, which will also indicate the type of ship.
In the meetings between the Greek and Egyptian sides, it was decided to promote further cooperation to achieve mutual benefit in the maritime transport of the two countries, based on the Maritime Transport Agreement of 1981.
Among other things, the following were agreed:
I) The strengthening of bilateral cooperation, within the framework of memorandums of cooperation signed in the port sector, to define a road map and create a connection with RO-RO ships between Greek and Egyptian ports.
II) The conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between the ports of Alexandria and Volos, for the creation of a regular passenger and freight ferry connection.
III) The institutionalization of a communication channel, with the aim of bringing the interested ports and the competent ministries of the two countries closer together, for the discussion of areas of mutual interest in the port sector and the facilitation of maritime trade.
IV) The adoption of an Initial Agreement on the Final Draft Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between the ports of Egypt (Alexandria, Port Said), Cyprus (Limassol) and Greece (Piraeus, Thessaloniki), which will be signed at ministerial level during the next Tripartite Summit in Cairo in the second half of this year.
V) The deepening of cooperation in the field of maritime tourism and leisure, by establishing a joint dialogue for the encouragement of cruise lines on a bilateral (Greece – Egypt) and tripartite (Greece – Egypt – Cyprus) level.
VI) The investigation of the possibilities of strengthening cooperation in the field of education and training of seafarers between the maritime administrations and education and training academies of the two countries.
VII) The existing cooperation and the effort to coordinate positions in the international maritime bodies and especially in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) were confirmed.
