Jordan has participated in the 80th meeting of the General Assembly of the Arab Bridge Maritime (ABM), recently held in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt and Iraq, together with ABM Chairman Hazem Al-Hafadi, attended the meeting in addition to Jordan, represented by Minister of Public Works and Housing, Minister of Transport, Maher AbulSamen. During the meeting, the General Assembly assessed the balance sheet and the outcomes of ABM's financial condition for the year 2022, according to a statement made public on Monday. The company's accomplishments and activities throughout the previous year were also covered. The company's statistics showed that during the first quarter of 2023, commercial exchange movement along the Aqaba-Nuweiba route climbed by 53%, passenger transport activity increased by 18%, and the percentage of moved cars increased to 192%. "Despite the difficulties it encountered, including the rise in fuel costs and the cost of operational services, the decline in the value of the Egyptian pound relative to the US dollar, and the high rates of inflation that took place globally, the company still managed to produce positive results," the statement added. Commenting on Jordan's attendance at the meeting, AbulSamen stated that such gatherings provide an opportunity for officials of the three nations to interact and fortify their connections of cooperation in the area of transportation. He highlighted how the alternatives, work schedules, and strategies developed by the ABM management to improve the Aqaba-Nuweiba route's competitiveness and increase "passenger" rates on the company's ships, have all helped the company overcome challenging circumstances and achieve positive results in 2022 and the first quarter of 2023. "The company's tourism activity on the Aqaba-Taba route also saw an increase of 96%, as a result of transporting tourist groups between the resorts of South Sinai (Taba, St. Catherine, Dahab, Sharm El-Sheikh) and Jordan's Golden Triangle (Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba)," he added. The minister revealed that the company is in the process of putting a new cargo ship into service during the second half of this year, with a load of up to 100 trucks, as part of its plans to develop and modernize its fleet of ships. "This will maintain the flow of commercial exchange and accommodate the expanding movement of commercial exchange on the Aqaba-Nuweiba route, which connects Arab Asia with Arab Africa, and prevent trucks from building up in ports throughout the peak periods," he said.

Source: Jordan News Agency