Egypt and Greece advance talks on new Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax connections
Egyptian and Greek maritime authorities are advancing discussions on proposed shipping connections between Alexandria and the Greek ports of Patras and Volos, following meetings aimed at strengthening bilateral maritime and logistics cooperation.
The proposals include a Ro-Pax service between Alexandria and Patras for passengers and trucks, alongside a Ro-Ro freight connection linking Alexandria with Volos.
The discussions took place as part of the third session of the Egypt–Greece Joint Maritime Committee, held on 5 October 2026, and were followed by a visit from a senior Greek delegation to the Alexandria Port Authority.
The Greek delegation was headed by Manolis Koutoulakis, Secretary General for Maritime Affairs and Ports at Greece’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. Representatives included officials from the port authorities of Patras and Volos and the Greek customs administration.
The Egyptian side was led at the committee meetings by Hussein El-Geziry, head of the Maritime Transport and Logistics Sector, while Alexandria Port Authority Chairman Ehab Salah received the delegation during its port visit.
Proposed shipping links and cargo cooperation
The discussions focused on the technical and commercial prospects for establishing regular maritime connections between Egyptian and Greek ports.
Under the proposals, the Alexandria–Patras route would accommodate passengers and trucks through a Ro-Pax service, while the Alexandria–Volos connection would focus on Ro-Ro cargo movements.
The Greek delegation also expressed interest in expanding cargo cooperation with Alexandria to include dry bulk shipments, potentially broadening the scope of maritime trade between the two countries.
During the visit, the delegation inspected Alexandria’s passenger terminal, port berths and Ro-Ro facilities identified as potentially suitable for the proposed services. The programme also included the Tahya Misr multipurpose terminal.
Cruise cooperation also under discussion
Beyond freight and passenger shipping, the two sides examined opportunities for cooperation in cruise tourism across the Eastern Mediterranean.
Discussions included possible coordination between Alexandria and Greek ports as cruise homeports, alongside the development of joint initiatives intended to support cruise activity between the two countries.
Egyptian and Greek officials agreed to hold further technical meetings involving specialists from both sides. These will examine the operational, commercial, technical and logistics requirements of the proposed shipping connections.
The additional discussions are intended to determine the practical steps needed to move the projects towards implementation. No launch dates or operating companies were identified in the announcement.
