Port of Ain Sukhna

At Ain Sukhna’s SUMED terminal, crude oil moves from sea transport into a pipeline system. Tankers discharge at offshore moorings connected by subsea pipelines to storage tanks on land. From there, oil can be pumped across to Sidi Kerir for loading onto ships on the Mediterranean side.

The system also supports partial unloading. A large tanker can discharge some of its cargo at Ain Sukhna, pass through the Suez Canal with a reduced load, and take oil back aboard at Sidi Kerir. This links the pipeline and the canal within one transport arrangement.

Storage, pumping and marine transfer are therefore central to the terminal’s business. Its role is best understood through the movement of liquid cargo between ships, tanks and pipelines, rather than through conventional quayside cargo handling.