Ain Sokhna Port is a major international gateway port for Egypt, the Persian Gulf, and Asia. It is located on the western coast of the Gulf of Suez, 43 km south of the city of Suez. Covering an area of 22.3 km2, it has a depth of 18 m.
It is considered the first comprehensive and multi-purpose hub port. The port comes under what is called "Third Generation ports" to serve export and import operations of general cargo, bulk, and container handling. Due to abundant surrounding land, the port is fast becoming a major industrial hub serving international and domestic markets.
Location of Ain Sokhna on the Gulf of Suez
Strategic Location and Significance
The port location is Latitude 29°39’ North and Longitude 32°21’ East. Ain Sokhna port is Egypt’s main gateway to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), East Africa, and Asia with an area of 23 Km2. Its strategic location, close to the Suez Canal, makes it a natural convergence point for the majority of shipping traffic moving from Asia to Europe.
The port is a logical transshipment hub to serve the growing economies of the Middle East as well as smaller East African ports. It is also well-positioned to serve the Egyptian internal market as the 130km to Cairo is connected by a newly surfaced multi-lane highway.
Read also: Egypt's Porto Sokhna
Egypt is blessed with its matchless location since it overlooks the Mediterranean Sea & the fabulous Red Sea which are linked in Egypt with the great Suez Canal and that is why Egypt plays a very important role in marine transportation even at the international level with its incredible ports at the different Egyptian cities.
Historical Context and Development
Ain Sokhna has been the subject of many archaeological excavations provided in 1999 by French and Egyptian Archaeologists Ain Sokhna has held an ancient Egyptian port that served as a link between the Sinai mining areas and Memphis that is located about 120 kilometers away across the Eastern Desert. It played a crucial role in transporting turquoise and copper.
In 1998, the Egyptian Container Handling Company (ECHCO) started in Adabya Port which is located 25 km before Sokhna. It was the entity that owned the Sokhna Port Development Company (SPDC) afterward. In 1999, a consortium of investors set up SPDC, they presented and were awarded a bid to the Egyptian government for the further development, management, and operation of a port at Sokhna.
Sokhna Port was developed and became operational within a mere 24 months, becoming Egypt's first fully automated port and widely acknowledged as Egypt's prime Public-Private Partnership. In the Spring of 2008, Sokhna Port's location, competitive advantages, and successes secured the investment of DP World, which took over the operation, development, and management of the port. In 2010, DP world signed an agreement with the Egyptian government to start basin 2 which was supposed to duplicate the capacity of the port.
From Space: A Look at Egypt's Ain Sokhna Oil Terminal
Engineering Features
The port boasts impressive engineering features:
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- Entrance channel of length 3650m. and width 250m. depth from 18m. up to 17m. in an entrance of diameter 560m.
- Area Length of Navigational Channel: 14 Miles
- Width of Navigational Channel: 400 Meters
- Total port area: 181,000,000 Square Meters
- Water Area: 174,160,000 Square Kilometers
- Land area: 6,840,000 Square Kilometers
- Total area of container yards: 1,545,000 Square meters
- Total area of opened area yards: 2,391,850 Square meters
- Total area of covered storing yards: 181,000 Square meters
The port is provided with cameras for monitoring the yards, berths, and fence.
Berths and Cargo Handling
The number of berths in the port is 39, including:
- General cargo berths-containers and RO-RO berths.
- Grain and fodder berths.
- Unpacked cargo berths, cooled cargo berths, and general cargo berths.
The depth of sea waters in such berths ranges from 9 up to 14 meters, while its total length is 7837 meters. Such berths are provided with modern equipment and installations for cargo handling and stowage, in addition to carrying it from the port, also forklift and other electronic lifts of different types, some of which are of 3.2.15 tons capacity.
The liquid bulk terminal in Ain Sokhna Port is located in basin 3, which is in the South of the port. The basin has one jetty in operation and the second one (Basin 2) is in the final development stage. Both jetties are of the same size and can accommodate two vessels each. The length of the berth is 412.00m.
The dry bulk berths are located at the Eastern side of the port basin 1. While one berth is dedicated for raw sugar bulk imports, the other is used for coal and iron ore bulk imports. The iron ore and coal terminal serves the import demand from Ezz Flat Steel Company located in Sokhna. These commodities feed cement factories in the east of Sokhna.
Read also: The Cosmopolitan City of Port Said
Development Plans
To fulfill its commitment to sustainable economic development and attract investment, a comprehensive master plan was developed, stretching to 2020. By 2007, the port had achieved several successes, attracting investment through a range of projects, either now completed or currently under construction. These projects comprise an investment of millions of dollars, bringing a range of benefits to the local economy and Egypt.
Current Development Plan:
- Container terminal: 640,000 m²
- Livestock terminal: 211,000 m²
- Liquid bulk terminal: 600 m - 212.000 m².
Additional transport links, including rail, are scheduled for construction or expansion. For a number of commodities, specific pipelines and conveyor systems will be constructed to minimise logistical costs and environmental impact from the goods transported to and from the Suez Special Economic Zone.
Economic Impact and Future Prospects
Through the provision of efficient port services and by transforming Egypt's port sector, through the introduction of private competition, the port has, and will continue to have, a significant economic impact on Egypt. Sokhna Port is emerging as the standard bearer of the new, investor-friendly Egypt that the government wishes to portray.
With growing interest from investors to establish operations in and around the port, it is showing early signs of becoming a catalyst for increased foreign interest in the country. Faster throughput of vessels and cargo, bureaucratic efficiency, and competitive tariffs combine to position Sokhna as a leading international port.
The entire project aims to be a major catalyst for long-term economic impact in Egypt and throughout the wider region. In all, €1.5bn will be spent on development. By then it is estimated Sokhna will handle more than 90 million tons of cargo, necessitating more than 12km of berth-length.
Aerial View of DP World Sokhna
Ain Sokhna City: A Tourist Destination
Ain Sokhna is an amazing city resort that is renowned as a recreational tourist destination. It is a magnificent wonder that showcases the heavenly wealth of that part of Egypt where every traveler will find peace and comfort. The beautiful Ain Sokhna is a town in the Suez Governorate, and it is located on the western shore of the Gulf of Suez in the Red Sea, exactly 55 Km south of Suez and around 120 Km east of Cairo.
Ain Sokhna is a sunny city that is blessed with gorgeous weather all year long, pristine beaches, and amazing waves, and that is why lots of travelers love spending their vacations in such hypnotic tourist spots, especially for deep-sea fishing activities. The amazing high mountains that are located in Ain El-Sokhna, the gorgeous clear water, and the charming sandy beaches make it a perfect holiday destination for those who would like to experience the best skating, diving, fishing, and, of course, mountain climbing.
The distance between Ain Sokhna and Cairo is 120 kilometers (75 miles). Ain Sokhna is considerably closer to Cairo than Hurghada.
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