🇪🇬 InfraIndex #14: Damietta Alliance Container Terminal launches operations in Egypt

On 14 February 2026, the Damietta Alliance Container Terminal (DACT) officially began commercial operations at Damietta Port, Egypt, with the first call of Hapag-Lloyd’s vessel “Essen Express.” The project represents an investment of over USD 600 million in its initial phase and is designed to reach a total capacity of up to 3.3 million TEU upon full completion. Located on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast west of Port Said, Damietta already functions as a multipurpose port and hosts the SEGAS LNG export terminal (5 mtpa capacity). DACT is structured primarily for transshipment operations (approximately 80%), positioning it as a large-scale Mediterranean redistribution hub.

Strategically, the terminal strengthens Egypt’s role as a control node within the Suez–Mediterranean system, expanding carrier-managed capacity at one of the world’s most critical maritime interfaces. Rather than serving as a bypass to Red Sea risk, Damietta increases network optionality and hub redundancy inside the Eastern Mediterranean, allowing liner operators to rebalance feeder structures, manage volatility, and reinforce schedule reliability across Asia–Europe trade lanes. With substantial carrier equity participation, the project reflects the ongoing structural shift toward vertical integration in global shipping, where ownership of terminal infrastructure becomes a resilience instrument as much as a commercial asset.