Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Commercial operations have officially begun at Damietta Alliance Container Terminals (DACT) in Egypt, marking a significant expansion of the country’s port infrastructure and reinforcing its strategic position in East Mediterranean trade.
The terminal welcomed its first commercial vessel at the weekend the 13,117-TEU Essen Express operated by Hapag-Lloyd, signaling the start of full-scale activity at the new facility.
A Transshipment-Focused Hub
DACT has been developed primarily as a transshipment hub, with approximately 80 percent of its projected throughput expected to consist of cargo transferred between vessels rather than destined for the domestic market. Once fully operational, the terminal is designed to handle up to 3.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually.
The project is structured as a joint venture. Hapag-Lloyd Damietta holds a 39 percent stake, while Eurogate and Contship Italia each own 29.5 percent. The remaining shares are held by Egyptian partners Ship and C.R.E.W. and Middle East Logistics and Consultants Group.
Juan Pablo Richards, Senior Managing Director Region South Europe at Hapag-Lloyd, described the new terminal as a strategic enhancement of the company’s Mediterranean network. “The new hub strengthens our position in the East Mediterranean and enhances our ability to provide customers with reliable, efficient and competitive services across key east-west and regional trade lanes,” he said.
Infrastructure and Capacity
The DACT facility spans approximately 93 hectares and features a 1,670-metre quay with a water depth of 18 metres, enabling it to accommodate some of the world’s largest container vessels.
The terminal is equipped with 12 fully electric ship-to-shore cranes with a 25-row outreach and 40 hybrid rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes. Additional infrastructure includes spreaders, lashing cages, out-of-gauge frames and a rail yard comprising six train lanes, two of which are operational at launch.
The emphasis on electric and hybrid equipment aligns with broader industry efforts to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency at major ports.
Strategic Mediterranean Expansion
For Contship Italia, the launch represents a key step in its regional expansion strategy. “The launch of commercial operations at the Damietta terminal marks a key milestone in Contship’s growth strategy,” said CEO Matthieu Gasselin. “This new hub strengthens our footprint across the Mediterranean and North Africa, covering an area of strategic importance for the Group and completing our presence in a central quadrant for international trade flows.”
Executives view North Africa as an increasingly pivotal region in global shipping, particularly as supply chains adapt to shifting geopolitical dynamics and trade routes.
Egypt’s Port Ambitions
The inauguration of DACT forms part of Egypt’s broader ambition to position itself as a logistics and maritime gateway linking Europe, Africa and Asia. Located near the Suez Canal corridor, Damietta offers proximity to one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints, giving it natural advantages for transshipment activity.
As global shipping lines continue to consolidate routes and deploy larger vessels, the ability to offer deep-water berths and high-capacity handling facilities has become critical. With its scale, equipment and strategic partnerships, DACT is poised to play a growing role in Mediterranean container flows.
The arrival of Essen Express may mark only the beginning, but industry observers say the terminal’s long-term impact could reshape cargo patterns in the Eastern Mediterranean and strengthen Egypt’s standing in international maritime trade.
