From the days when Pharaonic fleets charted the Nile and the Red Sea to today’s ultra-modern container terminals, Egypt has long been a maritime bridge between continents. That legacy is now being reshaped with record levels of investment, ambitious infrastructure projects, and global partnerships, most notably with China, in order to position Egypt at the heart of 21st-century trade.
The transformation of Egypt’s ports is more than an upgrade; it is a reinvention. State-of-the-art cranes, digital operating systems, and new logistics corridors are redefining how the nation connects to international markets. The goal is clear: to elevate Egypt into a premier global maritime hub, boosting trade capacity, fueling economic growth, and strengthening its role in global supply chains.
At a time when maritime shipping underpins the movement of raw materials, energy, and consumer goods across the globe, Egypt’s investments could not be more significant. Shipping remains the backbone of world commerce, carrying the bulk of international trade at the lowest cost, sustaining industries and livelihoods on every continent. In a world increasingly defined by interconnected supply chains, Egypt is determined to seize its historic role and translate it into a competitive advantage for decades to come.
Egypt’s bond with the sea runs deeper than geography and is a defining thread in the nation’s history and identity. For more than four millennia, Egyptians have looked to the water as both a source of power and prosperity. As early as 2500 BCE, ships built along the Nile sailed towards Sinai to transport copper and turquoise, while newly unearthed papyri from near the Red Sea detail maritime expeditions organised under the ancient Egyptian King Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid.
In 2013, archaeologists discovered what is believed to be the world’s oldest harbour at Wadi Al-Jarf on the Red Sea coast, complete with stone moorings and 40 papyrus records that offer a rare glimpse into Egypt’s first naval bureaucracy and provide evidence that the country’s seafaring tradition began as an organised and state-backed enterprise.
By the time of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s maritime ambition was already global. Her famous expedition to the Land of Punt, possibly today’s Ethiopia, brought back myrrh, frankincense, and exotic goods, reinforcing the centrality of seaborne trade to Egypt’s wealth. Centuries later under the Ptolemies, Alexandria emerged as the crown jewel of the Mediterranean and a city whose Great Harbour watched over by the towering Pharos Lighthouse became the heartbeat of ancient commerce.
The Romans built on that foundation, transforming Egypt into Rome’s breadbasket and a link between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean through Red Sea routes.
Egypt’s ports continued to flourish through the ages, adapting to the shifting tides of empire and technology. During the Islamic era, bustling harbours such as Tanis, Rashid, and Farama formed a network of maritime trade centres connecting Egypt to the Levant, North Africa, and beyond. In her 2017 book Egyptian Ports and Havens from the Islamic Conquest to the Fatimid Era, historian Safaa Abdel-Fattah describes how these ports were more than places of commerce and instead were also crossroads of culture where merchants, scholars, and travelers exchanged languages, innovations, and ideas.
The story of Alexandria encapsulates this evolution. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE on the site of an ancient settlement, the port was linked to the Pharos Island by a vast causeway, dividing it into two basins, one military and one commercial. Over the centuries, it grew into a cosmopolitan hub connecting five continents and surviving wars, floods, and revolutions.
Its modern revival began under Mohamed Ali in the 19th century, when the port was expanded to serve Egypt’s industrial modernisation, and was later institutionalised by the decrees of 1963 and 1966 that established the Alexandria Port Authority.
Today, Alexandria remains the beating heart of Egyptian maritime trade, handling about 60 per cent of the nation’s foreign commerce. More than 150 companies operate within its boundaries, employing over 50,000 workers in fields ranging from logistics to ship maintenance. “Alexandria remains both a monument to our history and a pillar of our economy,” said Reda Al-Ghandour, a former spokesperson of the Alexandria Port Authority.
“Every investment we make here builds on centuries of Egyptian innovation at sea.”
REBIRTH: Egypt’s maritime story, however, is not confined to history. The country’s modern rebirth as a global shipping hub began in 1869 with the opening of the Suez Canal, a feat that revolutionised world trade, shortened journey times between Europe and Asia, and re-established Egypt as the vital crossroads between East and West.
Today, nearly 12 per cent of all global trade still passes through the canal, reaffirming Egypt’s enduring role as a maritime linchpin. As one senior official at the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) noted, “Egypt has always been at the centre of global trade routes. What we are doing now is ensuring that our infrastructure matches the scale of this historic responsibility,” notably through enhanced cooperation with China.
China’s ascent as an economic powerhouse has been inseparable from its mastery of the seas. Since launching its sweeping economic reforms in 1978, Beijing has transformed its coastline into a network of world-class maritime gateways. Through massive investments in deep-water ports, modern berths, and Special Economic Zones, China has redefined the geography of global trade.
Between 1985 and 2017, cargo throughput at its coastal ports grew by an average of 11 per cent per year, while container traffic surged by an astonishing 21 per cent annually. By 2018, the nation accounted for one-sixth of global GDP and boasted eight of the world’s 10 busiest ports, becoming a logistical empire built on disciplined planning and industrial ambition.
This transformation has offered a compelling model for Egypt’s own maritime ambitions. Much like China four decades ago, Egypt is leveraging its strategic position between two seas to anchor its economic revival. Cairo and Beijing have forged strong ties over the past decade, particularly within the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The partnership has brought direct Chinese investment and expertise to Egyptian ports including Ain Sokhna, Port Said, and Alexandria, all key nodes in a shared vision of connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe through efficient trade corridors.
At the centre of this collaboration stands Hutchison Ports, a Hong Kong-based global terminal operator, which, together with China’s COSCO Shipping and France’s CMA CGM, secured a 30-year concession in 2023 to manage and operate the new container terminal at Ain Sokhna. The partnership represents a fusion of Chinese industrial know-how, European maritime logistics, and Egyptian strategic geography.
“China and Egypt share a maritime destiny,” said a Chinese Embassy official in Cairo. “Our partnership at Ain Sokhna is proof that ancient trade routes can be transformed into modern corridors of prosperity.”
But the collaboration extends far beyond construction. Chinese port-equipment giant ZPMC, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heavy cranes, has become a cornerstone of Egypt’s modernisation drive. Its advanced ship-to-shore and rubber-tyred gantry cranes are not only reshaping the skyline of Ain Sokhna but also serving as a symbol of the transfer of cutting-edge technology between the two nations.
Egyptian engineers are now being trained alongside their Chinese counterparts in equipment operation, maintenance, and automation systems, ensuring that Egypt gains both infrastructure and expertise.
Trade relations have grown in parallel with these industrial ties. According to Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), bilateral trade between Egypt and China reached over $15 billion in 2024, making China Egypt’s largest trading partner. Much of this commerce moves by sea, traversing the same maritime routes that once carried silk, spices, and papyrus. Today, those ancient waters carry electronics, machinery, textiles, and construction materials, all goods that power modern economies but still echo the historic exchanges that once linked the two civilisations.
CONVERGENCE: The cooperation between Beijing and Cairo reflects a strategic convergence: China seeks reliable trade routes and logistical partners to sustain its global supply chains, while Egypt aims to become the central hub that connects Asia to Europe and Africa.
“Egypt’s strategic location at the crossroads of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean perfectly complements China’s Belt and Road vision,” said a representative from China’s Ministry of Commerce during a 2025 trade forum in Cairo. “Together, we are reviving the ancient Silk Road on water.”
For Egypt, this collaboration is not merely about infrastructure but is also about adopting a particular mindset. Chinese port policy demonstrates how strategic investment, technological integration, and consistent planning can transform national economies. Egyptian officials see a similar opportunity at hand.
“When we look at China’s success, we see what disciplined, technology-driven port management can achieve,” remarked a senior official from Egypt’s Ministry of Transport. “That is precisely the path Egypt is now charting, one that combines ancient maritime heritage with modern economic vision.”
In this sense, the Egypt-China partnership is as symbolic as it is practical: two civilisations that once met along the Silk Road are now building a new maritime bridge for the 21st century and one that promises to reshape trade, technology, and connectivity across continents.
On Egypt’s Red Sea coast, this ambitious transformation is taking shape in steel and glass. At the Ain Sokhna Port, towering cranes stand like sentinels over newly dredged basins, signaling Egypt’s determination to redefine its role in global maritime trade. This once-modest gateway is rapidly becoming one of the region’s most advanced container hubs and an emblem of the country’s vision to link continents through innovation and infrastructure.
Striking examples of this new era are unfolding. In September, the Chinese Zhen Hua 23 heavy load carrier arrived carrying three ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and six rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes manufactured by China’s ZPMC. These are the second batch of a total of six STS cranes and 18 RTGs that will make up the backbone of Hutchison’s Terminal superstructure. Designed to handle ultra-large container vessels, the cranes will accelerate cargo turnover, while the remote semi-automated RTGs will boost efficiency and reduce human error.
Planned for development in two phases, the terminal will cover 1.6 million square metres and feature a 2,600-metre quay. Upon completion, it will have an annual handling capacity of 3.5 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units, a unit of cargo capacity). Once operational by the end of the year, it will be capable of receiving vessels up to 400 metres long, placing Ain Sokhna among the most advanced terminals in the region.
According to Minister of Transport and Industry Kamel Al-Wazir, these milestones “represent a leap forward for Egypt’s logistics sector [and constitute] a smart port fully integrated with artificial intelligence-based monitoring, centralised crane control rooms, and green technologies that minimise carbon emissions.”
He described the arrival of the cranes as “a pivotal milestone that positions Ain Sokhna as Egypt’s first fully smart terminal, integrating real-time GPS and RFID tracking with environmentally friendly technologies aimed at reducing emissions.”
The Ain Sokhna terminal is the beating heart of Egypt’s Red-to-Med logistics corridor, an ambitious multimodal transport axis linking Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to Dekheila and Alexandria on the Mediterranean through a new high-speed electric railway.
More than a transport project, the Red-to-Med Corridor is envisioned as an integrated logistics ecosystem that connects seaports, dry ports, industrial zones, and inland terminals. Once complete, it will enable goods arriving from Asia to cross Egypt in under 24 hours, revolutionising trade flows between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.
“The Red-to-Med project will make Egypt the shortest and most secure gateway between East and West,” Al-Wazir said. “It will also make our ports complementary rather than competitive, ensuring that Egypt functions as a unified maritime network.”
The development’s economic impact also extends far beyond the port gates. The expansion of Ain Sokhna is expected to generate tens of thousands of new jobs across construction, logistics, warehousing, and related industries. “Every crane you see here represents opportunity,” said Ahmed Mahmoud, a senior engineer at the General Authority for the Red Sea Ports. “We are not just building a terminal; we are creating a new industrial city anchored on maritime trade.”
Environmental sustainability is also at the heart of Sokhna’s development. The port’s design emphasises clean technology —electric-powered cranes, automated yard vehicles, stormwater recycling systems, and energy-efficient lighting — aimed at reducing carbon emissions and aligning with Egypt’s commitments made during the UN COP27 Climate Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. By prioritising green operations, Ain Sokhna is setting new regional standards for sustainable maritime infrastructure.
The port’s strategic location within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) amplifies its significance. It serves as the main maritime gateway for a growing industrial and logistics hub that hosts manufacturing clusters, petrochemical complexes, and renewable energy facilities. Its connectivity to global shipping routes and the national rail network positions it as a pivotal node in Egypt’s broader logistics chain. International investors from China and the UAE to France and other European countries are already lining up to establish operations that would use Ain Sokhna as their export base.
“Our vision is to turn Ain Sokhna into the beating heart of the SCZone,” said Walid Gamaleddin, chairman of the Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority. “It will be the port where Africa meets Asia — efficient, digital, and sustainable.”
As the cranes rise, rail lines extend, and logistics parks expand, Ain Sokhna embodies Egypt’s maritime renaissance. It is not just a terminal. It is a statement of intent: that Egypt, standing at the meeting point of continents, is ready to reclaim its place as one of the world’s great seafaring nations.
NATIONWIDE DEVELOPMENT: While Ain Sokhna has captured the headlines, it is only one piece of Egypt’s broader maritime transformation.
The Alexandria Port, which already handles around 60 per cent of Egypt’s foreign trade, has undergone extensive modernisation, including new electronic management systems and expanded container-handling capacity. The Damietta Port has distinguished itself as the country’s first fully digital port, pioneering automation and smart logistics to raise efficiency.
Safaga and Nuweiba, meanwhile, are being upgraded to serve both commercial cargo and tourism, boosting their role as gateways for mineral exports and ferry traffic. Dekheila and East Port Said have seen improvements in cargo handling, integrating them more tightly into Egypt’s logistics chain.
Between 2014 and 2023, Egyptian ports collectively handled 1.5 billion tons of goods and 60 million containers. During this period, berth lengths increased from 37 km to 67 km, depths deepened to 18 metres, and port areas expanded from 40 km² to 75 km².
By 2030, the government envisions 100 km of berths, depths of up to 22 metres, and an annual capacity of 400 million tons of goods and 40 million containers. “Our ports are no longer just transit points,” said an official from the Ministry of Transport. “They are evolving into integrated hubs that connect industry, logistics, and global supply chains.”
Egypt’s maritime strategy under President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi is not merely about infrastructure. It is about positioning the country at the forefront of global logistics. With an $8 billion investment programme, Egypt is building modern terminals, expanding tugboat fleets, digitising ticketing and logistics systems, and forming strategic partnerships with some of the world’s largest operators.
Hutchison, COSCO, CMA CGM, and DP World are all on board, ensuring that Egyptian ports will attract the world’s biggest shipping lines.
The government has made clear its ambition to transform Ain Sokhna into the Red Sea’s largest port, rivalling the most advanced facilities worldwide. Officials emphasise that this vision is inseparable from Egypt’s wider development goals.
“Modern ports are engines of growth,” said a senior Ministry of Transport representative. “They create jobs, support industry, attract investment, and strengthen Egypt’s integration with regional and global markets. The transformation of Ain Sokhna and other ports is not just about containers. It is about securing Egypt’s economic future.”
As global supply chains shift and new trade corridors emerge, Egypt’s Red-to-Med axis is poised to rival the most advanced logistics systems worldwide. If successful, it will secure Egypt not only as the guardian of the Suez Canal but also as a regional powerhouse in transport, logistics, and the transit trade for decades to come.
The writer is a maritime affairs and ports development consultant.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 23 October, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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