Deal between Kuwaiti Firm, ‘Suez Canal’ on Logistics Center in Egypt

People sail on a boat near a container ship crossing the Gulf of Suez towards the Red Sea before entering the Suez Canal, near El Ain El Sokhna in Suez, east of Cairo, Egypt, March 17, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
People sail on a boat near a container ship crossing the Gulf of Suez towards the Red Sea before entering the Suez Canal, near El Ain El Sokhna in Suez, east of Cairo, Egypt, March 17, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
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Deal between Kuwaiti Firm, ‘Suez Canal’ on Logistics Center in Egypt

People sail on a boat near a container ship crossing the Gulf of Suez towards the Red Sea before entering the Suez Canal, near El Ain El Sokhna in Suez, east of Cairo, Egypt, March 17, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
People sail on a boat near a container ship crossing the Gulf of Suez towards the Red Sea before entering the Suez Canal, near El Ain El Sokhna in Suez, east of Cairo, Egypt, March 17, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

The Suez Canal Authority has signed a protocol of cooperation with Kuwait’s Agility, a leading global logistics provider, to establish a logistic center in Egypt’s East Port Said Governorate.

Under this protocol, Agility will develop a hub with international standard logistics infrastructure to enhance the importing and warehousing of raw materials, as well as the export and distribution of intermediate and final goods through the Suez Canal Ports, it said.

The company will also provide world-class solutions for Egyptian customs, including the modernization and automation of the customs processes.

Head of Suez Canal Authority Admiral Mamish noted that the protocol aims to study the investment in the development and marketing of both the logistics and industrial areas. It also includes the development of a ‘green’ logistics hub for value-added services, in addition to applying advanced customs technology solutions that facilitate trade.

On his part, Agility executive manager Tarik Sultan said that signing this protocol goes in tandem with Agility strategy for the African continent and reinforcement of Egypt’s position in the regional economy.

“Being present in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and, in particular, working in the East Port Said area will give companies access to world-class infrastructure as well as fast, easy and efficient logistics and customs services in terms of time and cost,” Sultan added.

Admiral Abd El Kader Darwish, vice chairman of the Suez Canal Economic Zone for the Northern Sector, said that the establishment of a logistics center in East Port Said is set to provide logistical and technological solutions for investors in the region.

It will also provide a secure electronic customs system to facilitate the movement of goods in a safe manner that will in turn contribute to more job opportunities in East Port Said.

Darwish added that the protocol also includes studying the possibility of establishing a company between the Economic Authority and Agility, he added.

The Suez Canal Authority is planning to obtain an EUR 300 million loan from GCC banks to buy two new drilling rigs, three banking sources said to Reuters.



Oil Set for Steepest Weekly Decline in Two Years as Risk Subsides

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
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Oil Set for Steepest Weekly Decline in Two Years as Risk Subsides

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Oil prices rose on Friday though were set for their steepest weekly decline since March 2023, as the absence of significant supply disruption from the Iran-Israel conflict saw any risk premium evaporate.

Brent crude futures rose 50 cents, or 0.7%, to $68.23 a barrel by 1036 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained 49 cents, or nearly 0.8%, to $65.73.

During the 12-day war that started after Israel targeted Iran's nuclear facilities on June 13, Brent prices rose briefly to above $80 a barrel before slumping to $67 a barrel after US President Donald Trump announced an Iran-Israel ceasefire.

That put both contracts on course for a weekly fall of about 12%.

"The market has almost entirely shrugged off the geopolitical risk premiums from almost a week ago as we return to a fundamentals-driven market," said Rystad analyst Janiv Shah.

"The market also has to keep eyes on the OPEC+ meeting – we do expect room for one more month of an accelerated unwinding basis balances and structure, but the key question is how strong the summer demand indicators are showing up to be."

The OPEC+ members will meet on July 6 to decide on August production levels.

Prices were also being supported by multiple oil inventory reports that showed strong draws in the middle distillates, said Tamas Varga, a PVM Oil Associates analyst.

Data from the US Energy Information Administration on Wednesday showed crude oil and fuel inventories fell a week earlier, with refining activity and demand rising.

Meanwhile, data on Thursday showed that the independently held gasoil stocks at the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) refining and storage hub fell to their lowest in over a year, while Singapore's middle distillates inventories declined as net exports climbed week on week.

Additionally, China's Iranian oil imports surged in June as shipments accelerated before the conflict and demand from independent refineries improved, analysts said.

China is the world's top oil importer and biggest buyer of Iranian crude. It bought more than 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude from June 1-20, according to ship-tracker Vortexa, a record high based on the firm's data.