A new arab transport line connects Jordan and Egypt, challenging Israeli project
Shafaq News/ An Arab land-sea transport route connecting Jordan and Egypt has garnered attention in Israeli media, posing a challenge to an ambitious Israeli high-speed train project.
The route links the port of Aqaba in Jordan to the port of Nuweiba in Egypt, extending overland to the port of Alexandria and providing a connection between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
The project, spearheaded by the " Arab Bridge Maritime Company," involves a railway line stretching from Jordan and Amman to the Aqaba region, passing through the ports of Taba and Nuweiba in the south and heading northwest to Port Said Governorate.
The Arab Trade Line, a joint effort by Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, aims to boost connectivity between the Gulf region and the Mediterranean Sea via Egypt. As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, it seeks to revitalize ancient trade routes and enhance cooperation across continents.
This new transport link can potentially deal a significant blow to Israel's high-speed train project, designed to connect the Red and Mediterranean seas through the port of Eilat. The Israeli government's ambitious initiative, costing approximately 25 billion shekels, faces competition from neighboring countries' projects.
The launch of the first sea shipment via the Arab Trade Line marked a milestone, transporting two containers from the port of Aqaba to Nuweiba, Egypt. The containers were then transported overland to the port of Alexandria en route to Italy. The success of this service is seen as a positive step for international shipping, offering a cost-effective, shorter, and safer alternative for Jordanian exports.
The CEO of the Arab Bridge Company, Adnan Al-Abdullah, highlighted the competitive edge of the new route, emphasizing its potential to increase the competitiveness of the Port of Aqaba and the Port of Nuweiba. Additionally, the line is expected to eliminate the need for some Jordanian exporters to use Israeli seaports for their shipments.
