The terminal’s launch follows a recently signed contract between Egypt and a consortium comprising Hutchinson Ports, part of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchinson Holdings, China’s COSCO Shipping, and CMA Terminals, a subsidiary of France’s CMA CGM.
A key step in Egypt’s port modernisation drive
Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel Al-Wazir attended the arrival of the CMA CGM Helium, which sailed from Singapore and became the first vessel to dock at the terminal during the trial phase.
The ministry stated that the terminal is fully automated, allowing it to handle large international shipping lines as part of a broader plan to modernize Egypt’s ports and integrate them into global supply chains.
Ain Sokhna port is a central component of development plans for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), with authorities aiming to attract local and foreign investment, expand industrial activity, and create jobs linked to logistics and manufacturing.
The new terminal is equipped with six ship-to-shore quay cranes designed to service large container vessels, as well as 18 automated yard cranes, including Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes. Operations are managed through a terminal operating system that uses GPS and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to track and organise containers in real time.
Centralized control rooms oversee crane operations and yard activity, with the ministry saying the system reduces emissions, improves energy efficiency, and limits human error.
Al-Wazir said the project aligns with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s strategy to expand partnerships with global terminal operators and shipping lines, increase port capacity, and boost transit trade through Egyptian ports.
The ministry said the broader plan includes launching direct shipping services from Egypt, expanding exports—particularly to new markets with similar product demand—and developing integrated transport solutions linking seaports with railways, high-speed electric trains, and multimodal freight networks.
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Source: english.ahram
