Egypt
General Information for Egypt
Geo-political:
Capital City: Cairo.
Nationality: (noun) Egyptian, (adjective) Egyptian.
Population: 78,866,635.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 20.
Number of Internal Airports: 72.
Major Languages Spoken: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes.
Economy:
Currency: 1 Egyptian Pound (EGP) of 100 Piastres.
Exchange Rates:
(as of June 2016)
USD 1.00 = EGP 8.88
EGP 1.00 = USD 0.11
Exchange rates under licence from
XE.com
Main Industries: Textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction,
cement, metals and light manufactures.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Continental Shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation.
Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 2,450 km.
Climate: Desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters.
Natural Resources: Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc,
asbestos, lead and zinc.
Natural Hazards: Periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorm
called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms; sandstorms.
Terrain: Vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 18° C | 8° C |
| June | 25° C | 18° C |
| September | 33° C | 19° C |
ISPS COMPLIANCE:
All Egyptian ports will apply the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS)
Code from 1 July 2004.
All vessels covered by the new code must be in full compliance in order to be permitted
to call at the country's ports after this date.
REGULATIONS:
Navigational Regulations:
The following rules for ships navigating in the Gulf of Suez have been approved by
IMO.
| 1.1 | Ships should take into account that crossing traffic may be encountered in the traffic junction eastward of Ain Sukhna and in the precautionary area off Ras Shukheir, and should be in a high state of readiness to manoeuvre in these areas. |
| 1.2 | Exceptional care is needed, when overtaking another ship within a lane, not to enter the separation zone or force the overtaken ship to do so. |
| 1.3 | Ships navigating in the Gulf of Suez are requested to keep continuous listening watch on the Suez Gulf Traffic Information Broadcasts and report any aids to navigation which are malfunctioning or are out of position and which are not already included in the Suez Gulf Traffic Information Broadcasts. |
| 2.1 | All ocean-going ships should have their radar in effective use by day and night throughout the passage between Shaker Island and Suez Port as an aid to achieving maximum feasible lane conformity and avoiding risk of collision. Particular care is required for strict adherence to the confines of relevant traffic lanes. |
| 2.2 | Ships proceeding south from Suez should be alert for tankers heading for the Sumed Oil Terminal off Ain Sukhna. |
| 2.3 | Northbound tankers heading for Sumed Oil Terminal should report their intention of using the traffic junction off Ain Sukhna on the appropriate frequencies. |
| 2.4 | All ships north and southbound when navigating through the precautionary area off Ras Shukheir or in the vicinity of the July Oilfield should avoid overtaking in the traffic lanes in these areas. |
| 2.5 | All ships including service and supply craft serving the oil workings in July, Ramadan and Morgan Oilfields proceeding in and out of Ras Shukheir Oil Terminal, should only cross the south and northbound traffic flow through the precautionary area off Ras Shukheir. Within the precautionary area local rules relating to crossing traffic apply. |
| 2.6 | Tankers leaving the Ras Shukheir Oil Terminal and intending to join the northbound traffic lane should only do so when no through southbound traffic is in the vicinity and should always report their movements to other ships beforehand on VHF. |
| 2.7 | Ships anchored in the designated waiting area for Ras Shukheir should ensure that they are never less than 0.25 n.m. from the edge of the southbound traffic lane and should pay special regard to their correct light signals for ships at anchor. They should also show their deck lights. |
TIME:
GMT plus 2 hours in winter (October to May). GMT plus 3 hours in summer (May to October).
HOLIDAYS:
7 January (Coptic Christmas Day); 25 April (Day of Sinai Liberation (observed in the
Sinai only); 1 May 1 (Labour Day); 18 June (Evacuation Day); 23 July (Revolution Day);
6 October (Armed Forces Day); 24 October (Suez Victory Day); Eid ul-Adha, variable
date (celebrated by Muslims); Eid ul-Fitr, variable date (celebrated by Muslims);
Easter Sunday; Easter Monday; Islamic New Year, variable date.
In addition, the following holidays are reserved for observance by Copts, though are
not national holidays: 22 September (Coptic New Year's Day).
AUTHORITY:
National Authority:
Egyptian Maritime Data Bank, Maritime Transport Sector, 4 Ptolemy Street, Bab Sharky,
Alexandria, 21514, Egypt.
Tel: +20 (3) 486 9451, 486 9836.
Fax: +20 (3) 487 4674.
[email protected]
http://www.mts.gov.eg
Contact: R Adm El Sayed Hamed Shaker Hedaya, Head of Maritime Transport Sector.
T: +20 +20 (3) 484 2058.
F: +20 +20 (3) 484 2041.
