West Port Said’s transit traffic jumps 301.7% in 2025/26

Transit container traffic at Egypt’s West Port Said rose 301.7 per cent in the 2025/26 fiscal year to 207,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) said on Thursday.

The port handled a total of 451,600 TEUs during the year, with transit containers accounting for 45.9 per cent of overall traffic, compared with 51,600 transit TEUs a year earlier, SCZONE said in a statement.

SCZONE Chairman Moustafa Shaikhon said the increase reflected the port’s development into a regional hub for container traffic, particularly transit cargo.

The growth came despite geopolitical challenges in the Middle East that have disrupted global trade and supply chains, he said.

“This means the transformation of West Port Said Port from a transit gateway into a regional hub for container traffic, particularly transit containers, despite the geopolitical challenges affecting global trade and supply chains, especially in the Middle East,” Shaikhon said. “The ports of the Suez Canal Economic Zone are a practical and effective solution to these challenges, supported by comprehensive development and continued backing from state institutions.”

Shaikhoun made the remarks during his first inspection tour of SCZONE’s Northern Zone since taking office in August, where he reviewed development work at West Port Said and met with employees.