Hutchison Terminal 1 at Sokhna Port has received the heavy-lift vessel ZHEN HUA 23, owned by Chinese port equipment manufacturer ZPMC, carrying the final shipment of cranes for the facility. Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel Al-Wazir announced that the vessel delivered three super post-Panamax ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and six automated rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) yard cranes. With this delivery, the terminal now has a total of six STS cranes and 18 RTGs installed and operational, marking the completion of its superstructure works.
This milestone, Al-Wazir noted, comes in line with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s directives to modernise Egypt’s ports and establish the country as a regional hub for transport, logistics, and transshipment. The expansion at Sokhna forms part of the broader port development plan, which is central to the Sokhna–Dekheila logistics corridor and the integrated Sokhna–Alexandria container logistics axis linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.
The newly installed cranes are among the most advanced globally. The STS cranes are capable of handling ultra-large container vessels, significantly accelerating cargo turnover, while the automated RTGs, equipped with smart positioning and stacking systems, operate independently within container yards. These technologies, Al-Wazir explained, reduce human error, boost efficiency, and enhance overall operational performance.
He further emphasised that Hutchison Terminal 1 will be Egypt’s first fully “smart terminal,” with all operations powered by advanced digital systems. The facility incorporates an integrated Terminal Operating System (TOS) to monitor container movements in real time, alongside GPS and RFID-based tracking, centralised control rooms for crane operations and yard management, and eco-friendly technologies designed to reduce emissions and optimise energy consumption.
According to Al-Wazir, the arrival of the cranes represents a critical step towards the official launch of the terminal at world-class standards. Once operational, Hutchison Terminal 1 will significantly enhance Sokhna Port’s capacity to accommodate the world’s largest shipping lines, bolstering Egypt’s position in global supply chains. The project also reflects the Ministry of Transport’s strategy to forge partnerships with leading international terminal operators and shipping lines to maximise throughput, expand transshipment trade, and double operational capacity in support of President Al-Sisi’s vision of positioning Egypt as a leading regional transport and logistics hub.
