Egypt launches commercial operations of Red Sea Container Terminal 1 at Sokhna Port as mega vessel docks

CAIRO – 15 January 2026: Egypt on Thursday launched commercial operations of Red Sea Container Terminal No. 1 at Sokhna Port, while marking the arrival of a large container vessel operated by global shipping giant CMA CGM.

The launch comes one month after the terminal began trial operations and coincides with the docking of the CMA CGM IRON, arriving from Beirut carrying around 13,000 containers.

RSCT is operated by an international consortium comprising Hutchison Ports, CMA and COSCO Shipping, and is part of a broader state-led strategy to modernize Egypt’s ports and strengthen the country’s role as a regional logistics and transshipment hub.

This is an important day in the history of Egyptian ports, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said as he attended the launch.

The prime minister added that the project comes as part of the Sokhna Port modernization project, a key component of the integrated Sokhna–Alexandria logistics corridor, which links the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

Madbouly stressed that upgrading ports plays a central role in reinforcing Egypt’s position as a global trade gateway, allowing the country to better leverage its strategic geographic location while supporting the state’s broader economic development agenda.