The marina, to be built in Ismailia on the Suez Canal, will include a hotel and trading zone, said Osama Rabie, the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), reviewing the SCA's efforts to enhance yacht tourism in a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

The planned marina is the latest in a series of steps the country has taken to reduce carbon emissions, promote the use of renewable energy sources, and use alternative energy forms, including green hydrogen.

The steps, which are part of its National Climate Strategy 2050 announced by the government in May, include plans to establish an integrated national network in Egypt to produce and distribute green energy and clean fuels for ships based on new and renewable energy sources.

The SCA uses automated procedures for the entry and exit of tourist yachts to marinas along the course of the canal in Port Said, Ismailia and Suez, Rabie added.

He said that efforts are underway to set up an 850-metre-long tourist walkway and a yacht marina for 75 yachts in Port Said, according to the statement.

The SCA also plans to expand the capacity of the existing Ismailia marina to 60 yachts instead of 12, he pointed out.

Earlier this month, Egypt launched its first online platform to maximise yacht tourism in Egypt by facilitating the regulation of the entry of yacht trips.

The new online platform acts as a one-stop shop for yacht owners who can now submit the necessary data and documents to apply for entry, pay fixed fees on all state-owned berths, passenger terminals and tourist ports, and receive invoices within three days of application.

The platform also allows yacht owners to choose between mooring at public commercial ports or at private marinas.

These efforts are part of a revcently developed plan to leverage the country’s unique strategic location and long coastal lines.

A national scheme has been implemented since August 2021 to raise the efficiency of existing ports and marinas and to construct new ones in areas important to tourism.

Egypt’s unique position, with waterways linking three continents -- Asia and Africa to Europe -- provides the country with a great potential to boost yacht tourism.

The country enjoys 995 kilometres of coastline on the Mediterranean Sea south of Europe, 1,941 kilometres on the Red Sea opposite Saudi Arabia; 72 kilometres on the international waterway of the Suez Canal; in addition to the Nile River that passes across ancient Egypt's landmarks and monuments in Upper Egypt.

Madoulby said during the meeting that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi directed the government to work for maximizing yacht tourism in Egypt and implement an integrated strategy for building international marinas and berths along the country's coastal line.

The prime minister stressed that the government is ready to provide support, including introducing more facilities, in order to promote yacht tourism and increase the incoming tourism, the statement pointed out.