Egypt inaugurates IFC-backed container terminal at East Port Said Port at $175M
Updated 11/19/2025 8:09:00 AM
Arab Finance: Egypt opened a second container terminal at East Port Said Port, supported by a $175 million loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), according to a press release.
The project will expand the port’s capacity, thereby reinforcing trade and economic development in Egypt and the wider region, while also creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
Through the loan, Suez Canal Container Terminal Company (SCCT) funded the transformational infrastructure project to anchor Egypt's position as a key logistics and trade hub in the region.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi inaugurated the second container terminal, which will expand the port's overall capacity by nearly 2.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), about 45% of the port’s capacity. This includes an additional 955-metre berth and a 510,000 sqm container yard.
The new container terminal is expected to promote sustainability by integrating the use of electric cranes.
In line with IFC’s Performance Standards, SCCT will enhance its environmental and social management system, which helps identify risks and impacts, enabling sustainable operations.
Keld Mosgaard Christensen, SCCT’s Managing Director, commented: “SCCT is committed to expanding operations at our terminal in East Port Said Port, which is strategically located in the Suez Canal and Suez Canal Economic Zone. This investment is an integral part of Maersk’s and APM Terminals’ commitment to invest in Egypt and will enhance service levels to our customers.”
Meanwhile, Feza Engizek, SCCT’s Chief Financial Officer, highlighted: “We are not only expanding capacity but also enhancing profitability and cost efficiency through which we deliver sustainable value for our shareholders, customers, and Egypt’s economy.”
The container terminal project aligns with the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework for Egypt to secure high-quality private sector jobs, while bolstering green, resilient, and inclusive development.
It is worth highlighting that SCCT is Egypt’s largest container terminal and the main transit point for trade routes between Asia and Europe.
In 2024, SCCT ranked the third most efficient container port in the world and the first in the region in the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI).
Having operated in Egypt since 1976, IFC has invested and mobilized $10 billion in development projects. Its private sector support targets fintech, climate finance, manufacturing, infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare, gender, and other sectors.
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