800-year old city on the Nile gets SF Marina water taxi docks
For 3,000 years, people have plied the Nile River for travel and commerce. In Mansoura, Egypt, the tradition continues, albeit far more modernized. Home to close to one million residents, the metropolitan city recently opened a series of new water taxi docks. Built by SF Marina, the global leader in innovative industrial docking systems, the project is the first of two phases. The first consists of four stations; the second phase will add two additional stations and is scheduled for delivery later this year.
The Mansoura water taxi docks are built using SF Marina’s 12m L x 4m W SF Type 1040 floating concrete pontoons. A 1m freeboard enables passengers to easily board and disembark. Steel-reinforced, they are unsinkable—even with daily hard bumps from the boats. Integrated pile guides accommodate seasonal water level fluctuations. Embedded conduits allow for electrical and water piping. The next two dock stations will be 24m L x 4m W. Photos and videos of the water taxis are at www.facebook.com/WaterTaxiMansoura.
”Established in 1219, Mansoura has only two bridges, making it difficult for residents and tourists to move about,” said Mostafa Elbadawy, SF Marina Egypt chairman and CEO. ”This project will breathe new life into the city and showcase the adaptability of the SF Marina concept. Easily installed, our docks withstand the toughest use while maintaining an attractive appearance.”
SF Marina designs and builds floating breakwaters and concrete dock pontoons, and related marine structures. With a large international network of offices and manufacturing sites, it can ship anywhere in the world. It completed numerous recreational and commercial marina projects around the globe.
