afrol News, 15 January - The Greater Cairo Bus Company today ordered a second set of 50 gas engines for its bus services. The Egyptian capital is among the world's most air polluted cities and local authorities now are taking new steps to improve the situation.

The US company Cummins Westport announced today a follow-on order for 50 of its Gas Plus engines to Egypt, bringing the total to 100 engines in use in Cairo's transit system. The low-emissions natural gas engines will be installed in transit buses, which are to be operated by the Greater Cairo Bus Company and the Cairo Transit Authority.

Egypt ranks as one of the top ten countries in the world whose air quality is below World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and the capital city of Cairo, home to nearly 15 million people, has the worst air pollution in Egypt.

However, the country has the natural resources and has actively mandated legislation that will affect positive change on its environment. This is being accomplished by tapping its vast reserves of natural gas, the continued development of its extensive pipeline infrastructure and its scheduled completion of the first of two liquefied natural gas export terminals this year.

This engine order is the initiative of the Cairo Air Improvement Project, funded by USAID, the US development aid agency. The project monitors air quality and funds air quality improvement projects in Cairo, and instituted the first vehicle emissions testing program on the African continent.

One of the Cairo Air Improvement Project's key initiatives is to encourage the two large transit agencies in Cairo to switch from older diesel-fuelled buses to new low-emissions buses. Together the two transit fleets operate more than 3,500 diesel buses.

- We see this as an important follow-on order from a satisfied customer in a region that fits our target market profile, commented today Hugh Foden, President of Cummins Westport. "This sale will act as a springboard to other equally viable market opportunities in the Middle East and is in keeping with our mandate of international market expansion."

By staff writer

© afrol News

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