Located on Egypt’s northern Mediterranean coast is the sunny town of Alamein. Boasting a long, pristine coastline, golden beaches, and a Mediterranean climate, Alamein is potentially a paradise.
However, due to underdeveloped infrastructure and poor transportation, its tourism potential has remained largely untapped, leaving the area quiet and sparsely populated for most of the year.
In June 2021, the commencement of the Super High-Rise Complex Project in New Alamein City – designed and built by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) – marked the beginning of a transformation. In the near future, the coastal city will become a vibrant shining pearl on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
Belt and Road Initiative Boosts Egypt’s “Vision 2030”
In Egypt, 99 percent of the population is concentrated in the Nile Valley, and other oases, delta and coastal areas outside the Sahara Desert. This creates challenges such as overpopulation, limited green spaces and constrained living areas. Therefore, urban strategic planning has become a key component of Egypt’s “Vision 2030”. Alamein, with its 20 kilometers of coastline on the southern Mediterranean, is an integral part of Egypt’s new city development plans.
New Alamein City’s overall plan covers approximately 300 square kilometers, involving over 40 major development projects. The project spans an area of about 1.09 million square meters and includes the design and construction of a landmark super high-rise tower, four super high-rise residential and commercial buildings and municipal landscape projects. It is currently the largest cash contract signed by a Chinese company in Egypt.
According to the Egyptian government’s plans, New Alamein City will evolve into a comprehensive city that integrates tourism, education and industry, with a projected population of 3 million by 2030.
“China Speed” Demonstrates China’s Strength
In 2022, the project achieved 21 major milestones with a completion rate of 95 percent. Both the landmark tower and the foundations of the four super high-rise residential buildings were completed on schedule, with major construction nodes such as raft slab pouring accomplished without compromising quality.
By 2023, significant progress was made on the main structures. As of April, all four residential buildings had exceeded the 100-meter skyline at a rate of one floor every seven days. At the same time, the landmark tower reached its fourth floor above ground and, when completed, it will become one of the world’s ten tallest residential buildings.
“Chinese Experience” Promotes Win-Win Cooperation
With the completion of the highway and the launch of the New Alamein City project, Alamein is becoming a bustling hub.
The construction of New Alamein City has attracted talent from across Egypt. By April 2023, the project had directly created over 2,000 local jobs and collaborated with more than 400 local subcontractors, sharing China’s management and technical experience with Egypt.
In addition, the project has introduced advanced Chinese “smart construction site” technology. In January 2023, a smart construction site big data platform was established, making safety management more intelligent. Personnel management has been enhanced with the integration of smart turnstiles and facial recognition technology, enabling real-time tracking of worker attendance and safety training records.
For disaster prevention, the system combines computer vision, AI and CCTV technology to detect fire hazards within seconds. The tower cranes are equipped with several smart devices, including height encoders, wind speed sensors and high-definition cameras, enabling visualized hook operations and collision prevention.
A 210-square-meter safety experience center has also been established, equipped with a VR system imported from China. Workers can now take virtual safety lessons that simulate potential construction accidents such as fires, electric shocks, falling objects and pit collapses. This hands-on experience enhances safety awareness and training effectiveness.
This cluster of buildings that is rising from the desert will, in the future, illuminate the Mediterranean coast of Egypt.
