The launch, attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and several ministers, coincided with the arrival of the container ship CMA CGM IRON, operated by CMA CGM, carrying about 13,000 containers from Beirut. This came one month after the fully automated terminal began trial operations.
Madbouly described the start of commercial activity at the terminal, the deepest port basin constructed on land, as “an important day in the history of Egyptian ports.”
He emphasized that port development is central to Egypt’s strategy to become a regional logistics and transit trade hub, following directives from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, according to a cabinet statement.
The terminal is part of the broader development project at Ain Sokhna Port, a key element of the integrated Sokhna–Alexandria logistics corridor. The corridor is designed to link the Red Sea with the Mediterranean and strengthen Egypt’s role in global supply chains.
The prime minister was joined by Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel Al-Wazir and Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) Chairman Walid Gamal El-Din. Senior officials from the Suez Canal Authority, the Ministry of Transport, and the Suez Governorate also attended.
Al-Wazir said the terminal is fully automated and operates to international standards, increasing Ain Sokhna Port’s capacity to handle the world’s largest container ships and reinforcing Egypt’s position in global supply chains.
He added that the Ministry of Transport is working to establish strategic partnerships with major global terminal operators and shipping lines. The terminal is run by a consortium of Hutchison Ports, CMA CGM, and COSCO Shipping.
Al-Wazir said the terminal will support Egyptian exports, open new markets by providing direct maritime services, and develop an integrated transport system linking seaports with rail networks and the high-speed electric rail system.
Egypt has prioritized port and logistics development as part of its broader economic strategy, seeking to leverage its geographic position at the crossroads of global trade routes to boost competitiveness, attract foreign investment, and support long-term growth.
In December 2025, the Guinness World Records Committee recognized Ain Sokhna Port for having the world’s deepest man-made port basin at 19 metres, the deepest globally among port basins constructed on land.
The port is central to SCZone development plans, with authorities aiming to attract local and foreign investment, expand industrial activity, and create jobs in logistics and manufacturing.
The new terminal is equipped with six ship-to-shore quay cranes for large container vessels, as well as 18 automated yard cranes, including Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes.
Operations are managed through a terminal operating system using GPS and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to track and organize containers in real time.
Centralized control rooms monitor crane and yard operations, reducing emissions, improving energy efficiency, and limiting human error.
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