The National Authority for Tunnels, a government authority under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport of Egypt, and Siemens Mobility have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) — together with the local companies Orascom Construction SAE and The Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co) — to design, install and commission Egypt’s first ever high-speed rail transportation system.

Additionally, Siemens Mobility will be providing maintenance services. The agreement comprises a rail system with a network of 1,000km, with the first being a 460km high-speed line. The order value of this initial high-speed line is around $3 billion.

The MoU was signed last month by Essam Waly, chairman of Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels, and Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility. Mr Peter said: “We are delighted that the Ministry of Transport is seeking to put their trust in us to deliver this important project.

“Our digital leadership and comprehensive turn-key services will bring an integrated and ‘state of the art’ high-speed rail system that will provide a technology boost for the country and create local jobs.”

The first 460km long high-speed line will connect the rapidly developing cities of El-Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea to Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea, while also passing through the ‘New Administrative Capital’, east of Cairo. The line will also be operable for freight transport purposes, which will further ‘foster ’economic growth in the region.

Siemens Mobility has been one of the leading companies in the Egyptian mobility market since the 1960s. The company has also extensive experience in delivering high-speed rail projects in the Middle East and Africa region.

So far, the company has successfully completed around 50 turn-key projects all over the world – delivering many ahead of schedule. Recent projects include the extension of the Blue Line metro in Bangkok (finished last year) and the Copenhagen Light Rail project.