Transport
From The Report: Algeria 2017
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Meeting the demand for transport infrastructure in Africa’s largest country is a priority for the government. The current five-year development plan includes a major sector reconfiguration programme that allocates around €6.9bn to the upgrade, extension and construction of strategic segments, primarily maritime and rail. Traffic congestion and overdependence on road transport, inefficiencies in maritime freight management and a growing demand for urban transport are among the priorities to be tackled, as well as the construction of El Hamdania deepwater port, which will establish Algeria as a maritime hub. The rapid rate at which urban areas in Algeria are developing has led to an expansion in public transport construction between major cities. Since establishing the first metro line in 2011, the country has installed tramways and a dense network of bus lines, and is pushing ahead with additional development of both hard and soft transport infrastructure.

This chapter contains interviews with Bernard Arkas, Executive Vice-President, Arkas Holding; and Wissam El Moukahal, CEO, Entreprise de Transport Algérienne par Câbles.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Peak performance: The development of key projects supports modernisation
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Meeting the demand for transport infrastructure in Africa’s largest country is a priority for the government of Algeria. In 2015 the country began unfolding its current five-year development plan, a major sector reconfiguration programme that allocates AD832.7bn (€6.9bn) to the upgrade, extension and construction of strategic segments, primarily maritime and rail. The strategy builds on previous advancements that aimed to boost production and diversify the country away from hydrocarbons.…

Interview

All hands on deck: Bernard Arkas, Executive Vice-President, Arkas Holding, on profiting from opportunities in the regional maritime sector
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Interview:Bernard Arkas In what ways has maritime shipping in the Mediterranean Sea evolved in recent years? BERNARD ARKAS: Global shipping activity is going through what is probably one of its worst crises ever. This is affecting main maritime routes such as Far East-Mediterranean, Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic. It also has repercussions on other secondary trades or niche markets. Several famous and well-established shipping lines have disappeared, and we are seeing the market restructure…

Analysis

Regional outreach: Work is under way to secure trans-shipment business in the Mediterranean
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Becoming a maritime hub on the Mediterranean Sea is a key priority for Algeria, as it competes with Southern Europe’s main ports – namely, Valencia and Algeciras in Spain, and Gioia Tauro in Italy – and especially with Morocco’s Tanger Med port. To do so, the government is allocating funds to construct a deepwater port to ensure sufficient capacity to accommodate large cargo ships, and to provide access to the main road and rail lines for further distribution inland. New Port The…

Analysis

Fostering connectivity: Improved mobility in major cities will be achieved through the expansion of services and infrastructure
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The rapid rate at which urban areas in Algeria are developing has led to road congestion and growing transport demands. To tackle challenges constraining traffic flow in cities, the government has invested in urban transport solutions over the years. The country launched the region’s first metro line in Algiers in 2011, installed tramways and has a dense network of bus lines. Metro Reach The single-line, 13.5-km Algiers metro is in the midst of an enlargement programme. The initiative…

Interview

High potential: Wissam El Moukahal, CEO, Entreprise de Transport Algérienne par Câbles (ETAC), on the cable segment
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Interview:Wissam El Moukahal What is the key to success for joint ventures between foreign companies and public entities? WISSAM EL MOUKAHAL: To create a sustainable and profitable joint venture between an Algerian public entity and a foreign firm, the join venture needs to fulfil a need in the market. There should be a human dimension and a skills transfer from the foreign company to the Algerian counterpart. It should materialise through a training plan and a mixed management style, resulting…

Analysis

Navigating logistics: New trade facilities and processes brought on-line with the aim of boosting competitiveness
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Customs procedures in Algeria are often associated with high storage costs and bureaucratic constraints that affect distribution, leading to underperformance. Whereas the country possesses 11 commercial ports along its 1200-km coastline, most of them lack storage capacity, and face infrastructural and equipment deficiencies that make them unable to achieve a dynamic flow of freight distribution. With 95% of Algeria’s trading activity operating through maritime channels, developing modern…