Egypt emerges as a transit hub for Europe-Gulf freight

Photo: DFDS By Stuart Todd 29/04/2026 Egypt’s high hopes of ocean shipping lines returning to Suez in force were brought to an abrupt end by the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East. Now the country is looking to play a key role as an intermodal transit hub for freight originating in Europe, destined for the Gulf states, that would ordinarily be on containerships going via the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz. A ro-ro cargo corridor launched in 2024 between Trieste, in Italy, and Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta, operated by DFDS, now extends to the port of Safaga, on the western bank of the entrance to the Red Sea. Trailers are transported from Damietta to Safaga by truck, from where trailers go by a Pan Marine ro-pax vessel to the port of Neom, in Saudi Arabia, and then onward by truck to the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, and the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. Launched by Egyptian shipping and logistics services group Pan Marine this month, and supported by the ports of Damietta, Safaga, and Neom, and DFDS, alongside regional logistics partners, the extended corridor is marketed as “a fast and flexible route for European cargo entering the region, combining trucking and ferry‑based freight services to offer a reliable alternative to traditional pathways”. However, end-to-end transit times have not been disclosed. Co–ordination between Damietta Port Authority, Pan Marine customs officials and other stakeholders has contributed to speeding up operational and clearance procedures through the use of digital systems. The new route builds on a successful intermodal ‘pilot’ last year, which connected Egypt via Safaga, to northern Saudi Arabia via Neom and onwards to Iraq, via the Saudi-Iraq Arar border. DFDS’s ro-ro service linking Trieste and Damietta has a weekly capacity of up to 420 trailers. Pan Marine’s ro-pax vessel Pan Lily, with capacity for 130 trucks and 100 cars per voyage, operates four fixed weekly seven-hour sailings from Safaga to Neom. The service is tailored to carrying time-sensitive cargo, FMCG, dry and refrigerated food products and perishables, industrial equipment, and e-commerce shipments, as well as “any cargo requiring faster transit than conventional container routing”.  The main European origins of goods to date are Italy, the UK, Germany, and Poland. The Europe-Egypt-Gulf freight corridor is another example of the Hormuz blockade acting a catalyst for the development of alternative supply chain and logistics networks. And speaking at a recent webinar, Drewry head Philip Delmas said now was the time for the GCC to push ahead with a long-mooted and much-delayed project to build a rail freight corridor crossing the region. The proposed Saudi Landbridge, also known as the East-West Container Corridor Railway, would see trains running on approximately 1,500km of track connecting Jeddah, on the Red Sea, to Dammam and Jubail on the Gulf coast, reducing freight transit times significantly and enhancing the efficiency of trade routes in the region. The line is projected to transport more than 50m tonnes of freight a year, and the project also makes provision for close to 20 logistics hubs along the corridor, with rail-linked industrial parks. One estimate has put its cost at $26.6bn, with a completion date in the middle of the next decade.   Inside the industry’s AI shift Complete The Loadstar’s ‘State of AI in the Supply Chain’ survey — and receive the full report and data before release. Take the 2-min survey

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• April 30th, 2026
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