Building a new city

The high-profile project will offer yearround living and accommodate a population of over 3 million across an area of 21,000 hectares. The new city will house hotels, universities, sports clubs, entertainment outlets, residential units, business centres and even a scientific research center.

The fleet of Potain cranes onsite includes MCT 85, MCT 205, MC 235 C and MC 310 K12 models. They were sold by International Development Programmes (IDP), Potain’s dealer for Egypt. IDP has been a supplier of Potain cranes to projects in Egypt for the past 44 years.

All of the cranes were built at the Potain factory in Zhangjiagang, China and selected for their reliability and performance.

Two of the preferred choices for the site are the MCT 85 and MCT 205, both topless models. The MCT 85, successor to the MCi 85 A, offers a maximum jib length of 52m and a tip load of 1.1t. Its maximum capacity is 5t. The MCT 205 is a topless crane with a maximum capacity of 10t. It can lift 1.75t at its maximum jib end of 65m.

The cranes began arriving on site in 2018, and are configured at working heights of between 40m and 180m, with jib lengths ranging from 50m to 70m. The cranes work around the clock rotating between three shifts daily, lifting loads from 5t to 12t and are expected to be on site for at least five years.

Noreen Soliman, marketing and communications manager at IDP, said: “Using Potain cranes gives the contractors the confidence they need to complete a project of this scale. To date, the feedback on their performance has all been positive. Potain is a trusted brand in Egypt, with the range, reputation and performance to keep a high-profile project like this on track. We also pride ourselves on the parts and service support that we provide to our customers and that means there’s one less thing to worry about on the job site.”

Contractors working on the site include Redcon and Red Sea Construction, SIAC Construction, The Arab Contractors, CRC Dorra, Orascom Construction and a joint venture between Hassan Allam Construction and Consolidated Contractors Company.

The New El Alamein City is the first in a new generation of 'millennium cities' in Egypt.