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DP World's Sokhna Terminal May Boost India-Mediterranean Trade Flows
Sokhna is a large shipping terminal in Egypt near the Suez Canal.
It helps move goods between Asia, Egypt and Europe.
A Red Sea shipping crisis changed how ships use the terminal.
Before the crisis, most containers arrived on very large mainline ships.
Now, about 80% arrive on smaller feeder ships.
The terminal became busier when some ships avoided Jeddah because of security concerns.
DP World says cargo demand and shipping confidence are recovering.
Indian exporters may use Sokhna to store goods and deliver them faster to European customers.
Sokhna terminal’s location near the Suez Canal could support growing India-Mediterranean cargo flows.
Feeders now handle about 80% of the terminal’s traffic, reversing the pre-crisis mix.
Sokhna handled about 140,000 TEUs monthly during diversions from Jeddah amid Red Sea security threats.
The terminal handled about 1.13 million TEUs in 2025 and currently has 1.6–2 million TEUs of capacity.
DP World’s bonded facility and Sokhna’s location could help Indian exporters store and supply goods closer to European customers.
- Who
- DP World, Indian exporters, shipping lines and businesses using Sokhna terminal.
- What
- Sokhna terminal could become an important gateway for India-Egypt-Mediterranean trade as shipping patterns change.
- Where
- DP World’s Sokhna terminal at Ain Sokhna, Egypt, near the southern entrance to the Suez Canal.
- When
- The development was reported on September 16, 2026; the terminal handled about 1.13 million TEUs during calendar year 2025.
- Why
- Red Sea disruptions changed shipping routes and increased feeder traffic, while the terminal’s location supports connections between India, Egypt and Mediterranean markets.
Key facts
- Terminal location
- Ain Sokhna, about 130 km from Cairo and at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal.
- Traffic mix before crisis
- About 80% mainline vessels and 20% feeder vessels.
- Traffic mix after crisis
- About 80% feeder vessels and 20% mainline vessels.
- 2025 throughput
- About 1.13 million TEUs.
- Current capacity
- Approximately 1.6–2 million TEUs, depending on cargo dwell time.
- Peak monthly volume
- About 140,000 TEUs when cargo was diverted from Jeddah.
- Infrastructure
- Around 2.8 km of quay and 14,000–16,000 ground slots.
Quotes
Avnash Iyer
COO of Ports and Terminals Sokhna at DP World
“The India link is very critical because there is a significant amount of cargo movement that is happening between India and Egypt and India and the Mediterranean.”
thehindubusinessline.com
“Europe can be reached in around 10 days, depending on the destination, while GCC markets such as Saudi Arabia can be reached in two to 10 days.”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
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