Red Sea, Mediterranean ports close due to strong winds

CAIRO – 5 January 2018: The Red Sea Port Authorities closed Nuweiba port, South Sinai, at 6 a.m. on Friday due to poor weather conditions; winds reached 32 knots, with waves of four meters offshore, said spokesperson of Red Sea Port, Malak Youssef in a statement.

Mediterranean Ports in Suez and Zeiteyat in Suez have also been closed, he added. The General Authority for Red Sea Ports coordinates with the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) to provide weather updates. The closure was a precautionary measure for the safety of maritime navigation.

Major General Hisham Abuo Sennah, Head of the Red Sea Ports Authority, issued strict instructions for port managers to take the necessary precautionary measures, such as checking the entrances and exits of ports and following up with the General Authority for Meteorology on the weather forecast. They are also expected to prevent unsuitable maritime activities that could put lives at risk, or damage private or public properties.

Temperatures will decrease on Friday, with high speed winds accompanied by dust. Also, rainfall can be expected along the North Coast, in Lower Egypt, Cairo, and some areas in central and South Sinai, EMA stated on Thursday.

Gusty sand- and dust-winds are expected across most parts of the country, obscuring vision on roads and obstructing navigation, the statement added.