Egypt is considering setting up a shipping line to link it with ports in Russia in order to boost trade between the two countries, according to the minister of trade and industry, Tareq Qabil.
Qabil told newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm that the idea was especially appealing as the majority of Egypt’s exports to Russia were agricultural products that demanded quick and efficient transportation.
Russian demand for Egyptian produce has been boosted in recent months, not just by the embargo on imports from the EU and US, but also by the more recent ban on Turkish imports, especially of citrus.
The paper revealed that the Agricultural Export Council and the Food Export Council had been charged with carrying out a feasibility study for the creation of such a shipping line, including a financial analysis of the project and its advantages.
