The Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) revealed robust port activity in 2023, hosting a total of 3,414 ships with a combined weight of approximately 78 million tonnes, according to an announcement by the Egyptian Cabinet on Wednesday.
The northern ports—Al-Arish, East, and West Port Said—situated on the Mediterranean Sea, saw a total of 2,973 ships, managing a weight of 51.1 million tonnes during the year. In comparison, the southern ports—Sokhna, Adabiya, and Al-Tur—located on the Red Sea, received 1,017 ships with a cumulative weight of 26.9 million tonnes.
The newly operational Al-Arish Sea Port, operational since October 2023, handled 147 ships, facilitating the export of bulk goods totaling approximately 741 thousand tonnes. Al-Arish also played a vital role in receiving aid ships and floating hospitals to support Palestine during the ongoing crisis.
East Port Said Port, ranked tenth globally in 2022, demonstrated improved performance by handling 1,563 ships, boasting a capacity of 45.5 million tonnes and managing 3.71 million TEU containers in 2023. Meanwhile, West Port Said Port received 1,263 ships with a capacity of 4.78 million tonnes and 456,000 TEU containers.
In the southern region, Sokhna Port experienced substantial activity, accommodating 606 ships weighing around 20.3 million tonnes and managing 904 thousand TEU containers. The port achieved a notable 21 percent increase in ship reception and a 12 percent rise in goods compared to 2022.
Al Adabiya Port contributed significantly by handling 6.5 million tonnes of cargo, equivalent to about 80.4 thousand TEU containers, through the reception of 399 ships. These included various types such as general cargo ships, liquid bulk ships, dry bulk ships, container ships, live animal ships, and others.
Finally, Al-Tur Port in the southern Red Sea region is set to accommodate 12 ships with a total weight of approximately 95.2 thousand tonnes in 2023. The port specializes in servicing petroleum companies in the Gulf of Suez, focusing on the maintenance of petroleum service ships and oil rigs.
