Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met on 12th May 2026 with Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and chief executive of CMA CGM, for discussions focused on expanding the company’s operations and investments in Egypt. The talks, held on the sidelines of the Africa-France Summit in Nairobi, centered heavily on CMA CGM investment initiatives tied to Egypt’s maritime transport and logistics sectors, including the operation of the country’s first semi-automated container terminal at Ain Sokhna Port. The two-day summit, titled “Africa Forward: Africa–France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” took place on 11-12 May under the broader theme “Africa Forward.”
According to presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy, El-Sisi commended the cooperation between Egypt and CMA CGM, describing the company as one of the world’s leading container shipping and maritime transport operators and highlighting its participation in multiple projects involving maritime and dry ports in Egypt. The president specifically pointed to the establishment and operation of the Red Sea Container Terminal at Ain Sokhna Port, Egypt’s first semi-automated container terminal, while reiterating Cairo’s interest in further expanding CMA CGM investment activity, particularly within the Suez Canal Economic Zone. El-Sisi said the government is working to attract additional foreign investment through new incentives while leveraging major improvements in maritime transport infrastructure and logistics services.
Saadé welcomed the meeting and reaffirmed CMA CGM’s commitment to strengthening its footprint in Egypt, according to the presidency. He cited Egypt’s strategic geographic position and the ongoing development of the country’s maritime transport and logistics capabilities as important factors supporting future CMA CGM investment opportunities. Discussions between the two sides also covered the effect of continuing regional tensions on international shipping routes. During the talks, El-Sisi said stakeholders in global maritime shipping should cooperate to address bottlenecks and reduce disruptions affecting international trade flows and supply chains, especially in the energy and food sectors. The meeting additionally explored ways to enhance maritime connectivity and economic integration between Egypt and African countries.
The Red Sea Container Terminal (RSCT) at Ain Sokhna Port remains one of Egypt’s flagship logistics and maritime infrastructure projects and forms a central part of efforts to transform the SCZone into a global shipping and trade hub. The terminal is being developed and operated by a consortium led by CMA CGM under a long-term concession agreement with Egyptian authorities. Located on the Red Sea near the southern entrance of the Suez Canal, the facility has been designed with semi-automated systems intended to improve cargo-handling efficiency, shorten turnaround times and enhance operational safety through advanced digital logistics systems, automated yard operations and modern container-handling equipment aligned with international standards. The project supports Egypt’s broader strategy to modernize ports, road infrastructure, rail connectivity and logistics corridors associated with the SCZone. Authorities expect the terminal to strengthen Egypt’s position within global supply chains by increasing container-handling capacity on the Red Sea and supporting transshipment operations through the Suez Canal corridor. In recent years, CMA CGM investment activity in Egypt has expanded across container terminals, dry ports, shipping services and logistics operations as international competition intensifies over strategic maritime trade routes and regional supply-chain infrastructure.
