Egypt to keep ports open 24 hours a day

Egypt has decided to keep its ports running for 24 hours a day, up from 16 currently, to cut “long waiting times”, transportation minister Hesham Arafat revealed yesterday.

Grain traders over the last year have added significant price hikes on shipments headed to Egypt, the world’s largest wheat buyer, in part because of soaring demurrage fees thanks to the congested nature of the nation’s ports.

While the 24/7 operating measure has been hailed by local traders as a step in the right direction, calls have grown to add extra storage areas across Egypt’s ports.