Cairo: The Egyptian government is engaging in negotiations with MERMEC, an Italian firm, to establish a factory that will produce signaling components and European Train Control Systems Level 1 (ETCSL1). This strategic move is intended to bring advanced railway technologies to Egypt, as stated in a release from the Ministry of Industry and Transport.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the announcement was made during Vice Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir’s visit to Italy. During his trip, El-Wazir met with prominent global companies specializing in railway and smart transportation sectors. The discussions with MERMEC are focused on producing high-tech railway signaling and control systems locally, which would decrease Egypt’s reliance on foreign imports and aim to establish the country as a regional hub for railway technology manufacturing.

The talks also covered progress updates on a joint project to improve signaling and communicati
on systems on the “El-Ferdan/Bir El-Abd – Balouza/East Port Said” railway line. This project is part of an earlier agreement signed between Egypt’s National Railways Authority and MERMEC. El-Wazir has asked MERMEC to provide a financial proposal detailing the proportion of local and foreign components, emphasizing the importance of the project for enhancing railway safety.

Currently, the operational ‘El-Ferdan – Bir El-Abd’ railway line is used for both passenger and freight transport, connecting several governorates to East Port Said Port. This line is part of a broader 500-kilometer network linking “El-Ferdan – East Port Said – Bir El-Abd – Arish – Taba,” which is crucial to the ‘Arish-Taba’ logistics corridor.

Additionally, El-Wazir held talks with representatives from Talgo to evaluate the progress of the planned Talgo Egypt train manufacturing facility in Kom Abu Radi. This facility is set to meet Egypt’s domestic railway needs and export any surplus production, in line with Egypt’s goal to emerge as a
n industrial hub. He also encouraged Talgo to consider collaborating with the SEMAF factory on ongoing train manufacturing initiatives.

El-Wazir concluded his visit with discussions with Italian Railways executives about a potential proposal to manage and operate Egypt’s high-speed electric rail network, highlighting Egypt’s dedication to incorporating international expertise in its transport infrastructure development.