Posted on: January 21, 2026 / Last updated: January 21, 2026

Egypt’s Sokhna Port Goes Live as Suez Canal Traffic Slowly Returns

Today, I will walk you through the launch of Egypt’s new Sokhna Port container terminal and explain how this development is closely connected to the ongoing return of major shipping lines to the Suez Canal route.

CONTENTS

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Why Sokhna Port Is Strategically Critical

Sokhna Port is located at the southern entrance of the Suez Canal on the Red Sea side, placing it at one of the most important choke points in global maritime trade.

This geographic position alone makes Sokhna a natural hub for Asia–Europe container traffic, especially as shipping lines reassess routing strategies amid geopolitical risk.

Sokhna Port functions not only as a port, but as a strategic buffer between maritime risk and inland logistics flexibility.

RSCT Terminal Launch and Operator Consortium

On January 15, 2026, Egypt officially launched its first semi-automated container terminal at Sokhna Port, known as RSCT (Red Sea Container Terminals).

The terminal is operated by a powerful international consortium:

Hutchison Ports
CMA Terminals
COSCO Shipping Ports

Among them, Hutchison Ports alone is reportedly investing approximately USD 1.8 billion, underlining the long-term commitment behind this project.

Terminal Capabilities Designed for Mega Vessels

RSCT has been designed to meet the needs of the largest container vessels in operation today.

Key specifications include:

Water depth: 18 meters
Phase 1 capacity: 1.7 million TEU annually
Future expansion: Up to 3.5 million TEU

This scale positions Sokhna as a long-term transshipment hub rather than a simple gateway port.

Clear Signs of a Gradual Suez Return

Since late 2023, Red Sea security risks pushed most carriers to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, significantly increasing transit times and costs.

However, recent data shows a shift is underway.

According to Drewry, 26 container vessels transited the Suez Canal in the week ending January 11, 2026, marking the highest weekly figure in more than five weeks.

Major carrier movements include:

Maersk restarting selected Suez routings
CMA CGM increasing partial Suez usage
Gemini Cooperation preparing to deploy Suez-based services

This does not indicate a full recovery yet, but it clearly signals a controlled and phased return.

Infrastructure Is Reducing Perceived Risk

Security alone does not explain this shift.

Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) development plays a major role in restoring confidence.

RSCT is fully integrated with:

Industrial zones
High-capacity highways
Rail and inland logistics networks

In addition, Egypt is developing a high-speed electric railway connecting Sokhna on the Red Sea to Mediterranean ports, effectively creating a land bridge alternative to the Suez Canal.

This infrastructure provides shipping lines with contingency options even if maritime conditions deteriorate.

Economic Pressure from Cape Diversions

Cape of Good Hope diversions significantly increase:

Fuel consumption
Voyage duration
Environmental compliance costs under ETS schemes

As a result, shipping lines face growing pressure to return to shorter, more fuel-efficient routes, provided risks can be managed operationally.

What to Expect Going Forward

In the short term, Suez transits are likely to increase gradually rather than abruptly.

This will shorten Asia–Europe transit times and effectively increase available capacity, placing downward pressure on freight rates.

At the same time, Middle East geopolitical risks remain unresolved.

Most carriers are therefore expected to adopt hybrid routing strategies, switching flexibly between Suez and the Cape depending on conditions.

Final Takeaway

The key message is not that the Suez Canal is fully safe again.

Rather, the emergence of high-standard hubs like Sokhna Port means shipping companies now have more strategic options to balance risk, cost, and service reliability.