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Shell Egypt has signed a partnership agreement with Nile Petroleum Co. Ltd. for the latter to become the primary distributor of Shell marine lubricants in Egypt, supplying vessels passing through the Suez Canal.

Ahmed Al-Tuni, president of the board of directors at Nile Petroleum, who signed the partnership agreement with Shell Egypt, said that the agreement constitutes a huge success for an Egyptian company, as it enables the provision and distribution of marine oils to ships passing through Egypt’s ports.

Alaa Al-Gharbawi, managing director of Shell Egypt, emphasized the need to work with both national Egyptian petroleum and gas companies and international oil conglomerates in order to spur development, revive Egypt’s flagging economy, and provide fuel to ships passing through the Suez Canal and other ports throughout the country.

The signing was attended by Amr Mostafa, president of the Egyptian General Petroleum Company (EGPC), Dr Mostafa Safwat, Dr Salah Hussein, and Dr Ashraf Abdallah, vice president of Ganoub El-Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (Ganope) - one of five entities established by the country's Petroleum Ministry in addition to EGPC, Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), Egyptian Petrochemical Holding COmpany (ECHEM) and Egyptial Mineral Resources Authority (EMRA).

Al-Tuni revealed that Nile Petroleum had contracted Ganope in order to establish new fuelling stations in a number of Egypt’s governorates. The governor of Cairo recently allotted four new plots of land to be used to construct these stations.

Al-Tuni said that agreements had also been drawn up to distribute fuel to three Egyptian airports, including those located in the cities of Abu Simbel, St Catherine in Sinai, and the New Valley governorate. He added that Nile Petroleum had so far constructed 37 vehicle fuelling stations in Egypt, with plans to establish 30 more in Assiut, Sohag, Qena, Aswan, Luxor, the New Valley and Hurghada.

Nile Petroleum is also said to be planning to expand its fuelling operations for ships passing through the Red Sea ports of Hurghada, Safaga, Al Hamraween, Abu Tartur, Sharm El-Sheikh and Nuweiba.