By: OrePulse

Egypt's Ministry of Transport has begun trial operations at a new general cargo and dry-bulk terminal at Sokhna Port on the Red Sea, with the vessel GAMBELLA becoming the first general cargo ship to call at the facility.

The ministry said the trial phase formally began on September 15, 2026. GAMBELLA, operated by Dominion Shipping Agency, discharged 1,460 metric tons of battery units bound for an energy storage system. Suez Mechanical Stevedoring Company carried out the unloading work at the new terminal.

Officials framed the trial run as part of a broader expansion of Egypt's Red Sea maritime infrastructure. The ministry called the milestone "another significant step forward in Egypt's comprehensive maritime infrastructure expansion along the Red Sea coast."

The ministry linked the project to directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to "develop Egypt's maritime transport system, transform the country into a regional hub for transportation, logistics, and transit trade."

Port officials said the goal is to boost cargo-handling volumes, speed up vessel turnaround, and give Egypt a stronger foothold in global maritime trade. Neither the ministry nor port officials disclosed the terminal's total handling capacity or the project's investment value.