New charges in Hurghada

[Red Sea Shadow]

Red Sea Governor Decree No 279 of 2009
Red Sea Governor:
Has Decided the Following

Article 1
As of 01/07/2009 a Service Charge will be collected from vessels visiting El Giftoun Islands area, city of Hurghada , as follows:
1- Service Charge to operate outside El Giftun’s range : L.E 100 Only (One Hundred Egyptian Pounds) per day per vessel.
2- Service Charge to operate within El Giftun’s range: L.E 200 only ( Two Hundred Egyptian Pounds) per day per vessel.

Article 2:
The Division of Real Estate Taxes is authorized to collect the Service Charge for both El Giftun Islands-City of Hurghada, to be deposited in a separate account in the Governorate’s Services Fund called El Giftun’s Account.

Article 3:
To Annul any decree contradicting the commands of this decree.

Article 4:
The General Council’s Tourism Division, the Division of Real Estate Taxes and the Cost Guards are to execute this Decree and to inform all concerned parties.

Red Sea Governor
Approved/
Major General / Mohamed Magdy Kobeisy

 

[Solly]

I heard about this a couple of weeks ago but the word was that the 100/200 EGP is for a 1 week permit around these places and to be paid monthly (4 weeks ahead) ... something like that...
But I see that you seem to be translating the formal document They are trying to make life harder... any idea why collecting this money? I was told that this is to build more marinas to accommodate boats moored in the sea rather than a decent marina especially after a couple of boat on fire accidents recently.... but I am not sure...

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

Yes it's a formal document but I'm not the one who translated it I have a scan of the original document in Arabic though.

Build more marinas??? Since when does the government build marinas? As far as I know, Hurghada has some 83 jetties and they're privately owned.

The boats which were caught on fire happen to be leaving to the dry dock. It has nothing to do with their mooring. The one of Sharm had an electrical short circuit.

 

[Solly]

yes, it was leaving to the dry dock but it was moored in the sea not to a jetty and it happened that the governor witnessed the incident that's why this decree was issued as far as I was told.. because the services were not able to reach the boat to put off the fire.

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

The majority of dive boats moor in the sea to mooring buoys (what we call sabah in Arabic). Boats go to the platform to embark and disembark. It's highly unlikely to get a permanent place for every boat on the platform. That way you'd need hundreds of kilometers of cement platforms.

BTW when a boat is on fire the possibility of rescue is a bit limited. Attached is a photo of the other one which caught fire in Sharm. The photo was shot by the boat's guide. It's daylight and on the main platform of Sharm El Maya.