Egypt ports handle heavy vessel traffic as food exports soar high

Egyptian maritime trade and agricultural export operations have demonstrated robust activity, according to official statements issued by port authorities and trade monitoring bodies on Sunday, 13 September 2026. Maritime hubs across the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts reported substantial vessel traffic, while national agencies highlighted significant expansion in agricultural and refined food shipments to international destinations.

At Damietta Port, operational metrics from the Damietta Port Authority confirmed that 13 container and cargo vessels were handled over a 24-hour period. The port recorded seven vessel arrivals and six departures, maintaining a steady fleet of 13 ships docked at the facility. Outbound general cargo exports reached 35,540 tonnes, which included 2,418 tonnes of molasses, 8,125 tonnes of bagged gypsum, and 1,644 tonnes of bagged salt. On the inbound side, general cargo imports totaled 13,557 tonnes, comprising 5,500 tonnes of corn, 1,253 tonnes of iron, 2,200 tonnes of scrap metal, and 3,946 tonnes of assorted commercial items.

Concurrently, the Red Sea Ports Authority’s media centre reported 13 ship movements across its port network, processing 13,000 tonnes of cargo, 661 trucks, and 132 private vehicles. Imports accounted for seven vessels carrying 7,000 tonnes of freight, 417 trucks, and 90 cars. Outbound traffic comprised six ships transporting 6,000 tonnes of cargo, 244 trucks, and 42 cars. Within this system, Safaga Port welcomed three inbound vessels, including POSEIDON EXPRESS, Al Hurriya, and Amal, while ALCUDIA EXPRESS and BRIDGE executed their departures. Nuweiba Port managed 6,500 tonnes of cargo alongside 252 trucks via shuttle voyages operated by four ships: Al Hussein, Sina, Ayla, and Our. Passenger movement across all Red Sea ports registered 1,258 travellers.

Egypt's food export sector mirrored this maritime surge, as outlined in the 34th weekly report for 2026 published by the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA), covering the period from 5 to 11 September. The agency reported 3,700 export consignments amounting to 230,000 tonnes of food products, managed by 1,424 registered exporting companies. These shipments spanned roughly 720 food product categories, including fresh vegetables and fruits. Vegetable exports encompassed 37 distinct categories totaling 50,000 tonnes, led by potatoes at 18,000 tonnes, onions at 14,000 tonnes, and beans at 5,000 tonnes. Fruit exports reached 30,000 tonnes across 30 categories, with mangoes taking top position at 8,000 tonnes, followed by strawberries at 7,000 tonnes, and pomegranates at 5,000 tonnes. Sudan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia emerged as the primary import partners, followed by Lebanon and Italy among 163 recipient nations. Safaga Port handled the largest volume of food export consignments with 665 shipments, followed by Alexandria Port with 545 and Damietta Port with 455.

Adding to the sector's momentum, data released by the Food Export Council (FEC) revealed strong performance in solid cane, beet sugar, and chemically pure sucrose exports during 2025. Export earnings reached approximately $290 million across 581,000 tonnes, placing Egypt 14th globally with a 2% share of world exports. Between 2020 and 2025, export value achieved a compound annual growth rate of 17%, while volume grew by 11% annually. Lebanon represented the largest market, importing $107 million worth of sugar (37% of total exports), followed by Sudan at $69 million (24%), Somalia at $29 million (10%), Yemen at $20 million (7%), and Italy at $14 million (5%). Combined, these five markets absorbed 82% of Egypt's solid sugar exports.