DP World to expand Sokhna facility

The Port of Sokhna is situated on the Red Sea near the southern entrance to the Suez Canal and is strategically placed on the busy East–West trade route. It is the closest port to Cairo and currently has four quays with a depth alongside of 16 m. Its container terminal is at present capable of handling 750,000 teu annually, but it also caters for breakbulk and general cargo. In 2007 it handled a total of 440,000 teu.

Sokhna is the 43rd port across 23 countries to come under the control of DP World, which is steadily building a strategic network of ports between Asia and Northern Europe and North America. Other Red Sea ports controlled by the Dubai-based company include Jeddah and Djibouti.

In Mozambique, DP World recently increased its interest in the port of Maputo by becoming a joint shareholder with Durban-based Grindrod and CFM in the Maputo Port Development Company. Its latest announcement here is a USS200m investment in the Bilene Hotel, a luxury beach resort, golf estate and eco-development north of Maputo that is served by its own private airport.