Egypt Inks Deal to Further Accelerate Supply of Green Fuels

A general view of Cairo, Egypt. (AFP)
A general view of Cairo, Egypt. (AFP)
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Egypt Inks Deal to Further Accelerate Supply of Green Fuels

A general view of Cairo, Egypt. (AFP)
A general view of Cairo, Egypt. (AFP)

Egypt signed on Monday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maersk in a joint bid to further accelerate the supply of green fuels for ships as part of the shipping industry’s transition to net-zero.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed the signing of the deal with the General Authority for Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), the Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), the Sovereign Fund of Egypt for Investment and Development (TSFE), and Maersk.

The agreement will see the establishment of a project to produce green fuels for ship bunkering supplies and to achieve zero carbon emissions.

The signing was attended by Egypt's Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker and Morten Bo Christiansen, Head of Decarbonization at Maersk.

The MoU is in line with the government's commitment to green projects, especially since Egypt will host the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) to the UNFCCC .

Madbouly stressed that Egypt, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, continues to strive to expand in the field of clean energy and its uses.

This is evident through providing the necessary support in this field, while placing green fuel projects on its list of priorities, and pushing for the implementation of these projects as pillars of the state’s strategy towards the localization of the green fuel industry.

“Capitalizing on Egypt’s fundamentals and vision, SCZone’s strategic integrated areas of ports and industrial parks around the Suez Canal and leveraging on the solid and enduring longstanding relationship we have with Maersk, I am looking forward to the evolvement of this project, which meets our mutual target of transforming into the green economy,” said Eng. Yahia Zaki, Chairman of the SCZone.



Gold Steady as Focus Shifts to US Data for Economic Cues

Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
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Gold Steady as Focus Shifts to US Data for Economic Cues

Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)

Gold prices were little changed on Monday, while investors awaited a slew of US economic data including the December nonfarm payrolls report for further guidance on the Federal Reserve's stance on interest rates.
Spot gold held its ground at $2,635.39 per ounce by 0510 GMT. US gold futures dropped 0.2% to $2,646.80.
How the US jobs data fares this week could hold the key to whether gold breaks out of its recent range, said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.
"There is a plethora of US data due for release this week (including ISM Services PMI data), and any downside misses could hurt the USD and help gold."
The US jobs report, due on Friday, is expected to provide more clues to the Fed's rate outlook after the US central bank rattled markets last month by reducing its projected cuts for 2025.
Investors are also awaiting ADP hiring and job openings data, as well as minutes of the Fed's last policy meeting for further direction.
Gold flourishes in a low-interest-rate environment and serves as a hedge against geopolitical uncertainties and inflation.
US President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to office on Jan. 20 and his proposed tariffs and protectionist policies are expected to fuel inflation.
This could prompt the Fed to go slow on rate cuts, limiting gold's upside. After three rate cuts in 2024, the Fed has projected only two reductions for 2025 due to persistent inflation.
The US central bank's benchmark policy rate should stay restrictive until it is more certain that inflation is returning to its 2% target, Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin said on Friday.
Spot silver was down 0.2% at $29.57 per ounce, platinum dipped 0.7% to $931.30 and palladium fell 0.4% to $918.22.