CMA CGM Acquires 35% Stake in Egypt's First Dry Port

French shipping and logistics leader CMA CGM has reached an agreement to acquire a 35% ownership share in Egypt’s October Dry Port (ODP).

Launched in November 2023, ODP is the country's first inland dry port and the first public-private partnership in Egypt’s transport sector under the EBRD Green Cities initiative. The facility was developed, constructed, and is operated by Elsewedy Electric in collaboration with the General Authority for Land and Dry Ports (GALDP).

This strategic alliance, finalized during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Egypt, also includes a management agreement allowing CMA CGM to participate in the operation and future development of ODP’s logistics and rail systems.

Located inland and directly connected to all of Egypt’s maritime ports, ODP serves as a vital logistics center, streamlining cargo movement and easing congestion at coastal ports.

CMA CGM, which already manages the Tahya Misr terminal in Alexandria and is preparing to launch a terminal in Sokhna early next year, views the ODP partnership as a move to strengthen its logistics presence in Greater Cairo, Upper Egypt, the Mediterranean, and the Red Sea regions.

“This is a unique opportunity to foster the development of low emission intermodal solutions in Egypt through efficient rail connections,” said Christine Cabau Woehrel, executive vice president of assets and operations at CMA CGM. She added that the investment reaffirms the Group’s long-term support for the growth of Egypt’s supply chain.

“It combines beautifully our worldwide maritime network to and from Egypt, our investment in the terminals of Alexandria and Sokhna, with the capacity to offer door to door efficient and competitive solutions to our Egyptian customers, opening a new more sophisticated vision of Egyptian supply chain development,” she said.

The completion of the acquisition remains subject to regulatory approvals and standard closing conditions.