Egypt’s PM inspects Sumed Petroleum Port in Ain Sokhna

CAIRO - 6 March 2026: Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly began a tour of Suez Governorate on Saturday by inspecting the Sumed Petroleum Port in Ain Sokhna, as well as the port’s petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG) handling and storage terminal. 

The port is considered one of the most important infrastructure sites in Egypt’s petroleum sector and a key hub for securing energy supplies, given its diverse facilities and advanced infrastructure.

The Prime Minister was received by the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Engineer Karim Badawi; the Governor of Suez, Major General Hani Rashad; and a number of ministry and port officials.

This inspection tour comes as part of the Prime Minister’s commitment to monitoring the readiness of infrastructure for receiving and handling LNG. The port regularly receives LNG shipments through regasification vessels docked at the marine berth, which then feed gas into the local market through the national natural gas grid.

In this context, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly praised the efforts of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in maintaining the Sumed Port in a state of constant readiness, ensuring the continued efficient and safe reception of shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG), fuel oil, crude oil, and other petroleum products, particularly in light of current circumstances and regional and international challenges.

Engineer Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, reviewed the importance of the Sumed Petroleum Port in Ain Sokhna, noting that it has become a key hub for securing supplies of crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas. He also highlighted its historical role as a vital link in transporting oil from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to European markets.

The Minister explained that the LNG and petroleum products handling and storage terminal, inaugurated by His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in 2019 as part of a forward-looking vision, represents a safety valve for the country during periods of instability and fluctuations in global energy markets.

He added that the petroleum sector implemented a proactive investment plan during the 2024/2025 fiscal year to develop and expand LNG import infrastructure at the terminal and across the Ain Sokhna area. This included equipping marine berths and commissioning three regasification vessels in the Ain Sokhna area at the Sumed and Sonker petroleum terminals, in addition to establishing a marine berth and deploying a fourth regasification vessel in Damietta. Together, these facilities provide a total capacity of approximately 2.7 billion cubic feet per day, helping secure the needs of the local market and meet the requirements of various production and service sectors, most notably the electricity and industrial sectors.

The Minister emphasized that the implementation of these projects over the past year was achieved through the efforts of approximately 1,500 colleagues in the petroleum sector, in accordance with quality, safety, and efficiency standards and within the planned timeframes.

During the tour, the Minister of Petroleum also reviewed the recent increases in the prices of various petroleum products and gas, which have risen significantly in recent days as a result of military operations in Iran and the targeting of several Gulf states. He noted that many countries around the world are facing significant challenges in ensuring the continued supply of these products, not only because of rising prices but also due to the shutdown of several oil fields and the disruptions and increased risks associated with transportation. He also highlighted price increases for these products in several countries.