Hapag-Lloyd Vessel Inaugurates Damietta Alliance Container Terminal in Egypt

Hapag-Lloyd’s Essen Express, a 13,117 TEU vessel, made the inaugural call at Egypt’s Damietta Alliance Container Terminal (DACT) on February 14, 2026, officially launching operations at this strategic Mediterranean hub.

Developed by a consortium comprising Contship Italia, EUROGATE, and Hapag-Lloyd, the $600 million facility boosts Egypt’s transhipment capacity near the Suez Canal, which isvital for India-Europe trade routes.

DACT spans 93 hectares with a 1,670-meter quay at 18-meter depth, equipped with 12 electric ship-to-shore cranes (25-row outreach) and 40 hybrid RTGs for efficient handling.

Designed for 80% transshipment and 20% local cargo, it targets up to 3.3 million TEUs annually, serving Egyptian markets like Greater Cairo alongside Levant and Black Sea regions.

Rail infrastructure with six train lanes supports intermodal links, emphasizing sustainability through electric equipment and community engagement.

This opening enhances Suez-adjacent capacity amid regional disruptions, streamlining container flows from Indian gateways like JNPT and Chennai to Europe via faster Egypt transshipment.

For South Asian exporters, DACT strengthens reliable East-West corridors, aligning with Egypt’s port expansion to handle rising Asia-Europe volumes.