In the Northeast African region, Sudan is among one of Africa’s largest countries, with most of its population dependent on agriculture. Sudan is not a grown economy and is facing a recession.

While Sudan has many valuable natural resources. Its political situation has been quite volatile due to terrorist activities, continously changing political alliances, and factional fights. These mishaps have damaged the Sudanese economy and raised poverty as well.

Sudan’s ports have not been untouched by the ongoing turmoil. Recently, Port Sudan, Sudan’s main seaport, was blocked by angry protestors who wanted to have their demands accepted and put pressure on the country’s government.

Port Sudan

Founded by the British, Port Sudan was the main Port for colonial trade in the African region. Presently, it is Sudan’s primary seaport. It is located on the western coastline along the Red Sea, near Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. Another significant trade centre is Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Port Sudan mainly exports gum, oilseeds, animal hides, skin, and senna. Its major imports include machines, automobiles, fuel oil and oil products, pesticides, and building materials such as cement.

The Port’s significance grew when an 850 m long oil pipeline was constructed in 1977 to move oil to and from the Port and the capital, Khartoum. Port Sudan is supplied with all modern facilities. However, since the region is mainly dry, the Port gets fresh water from the Wadi Arbaat and nearby water plants.

Port Sudan is split into five zones or areas:

1)The North Port

It is the earliest Port, operational since the early ’90s. The place has 12 berths or platforms and an average depth of around 11 meters. It handles general cargo, cement, edible oil, oil products, vehicles, and molasses. Its annual capacity is 5 million tonnes.

The North Port has six cement silos with 80,000 tons storage capacity. Storage tanks for edible oil and has a 50,000 tons capacity. Molasses are stored in tanks with a capacity of 100,000 tons, and 119 warehouses are owned by private trading companies at the Port. Also, 25 government-owned warehouses. All the fitted equipment is operational, but the luffing cranes for moving general cargo need restoration.

The Port also has efficient things such as mobile cranes, shore cranes, tractors, forklifts,quay cranes, tugboats, trailers, fire engines, etc.

2)The South Port

As the name suggests, the South Port is on the southern side of the Port of Sudan. This Port has six berths that handle grains, general cargo and goods packed in containers.

The berths’ total length is 740 meters, and their depth is around 13 meters. The South port handles containers, petroleum, oil, and grains.

It covers an area of 14,80,000 square meters with a per-year cargo capacity of 3 million tonnes. Berth 16 deals with tankers and container berths measuring 430 meters, and it has a depth of 13 m.

The port has three dedicated berths for container ships. One berth has a grain silo with a holding capacity of 50,000 tonnes. The annual storage capacity is 400,000 TEUs. The port equipment is in good condition. It includes gantry cranes, two harbour cranes, and rubber-tyred gantries. It also has other modern equipment. These include reach stackers, forklifts, trailers, etc.

Recently, developmental activities continue to take place at South Port. This has led to the upkeep of berths 17 also 18, which have now been armed with container cranes, RTG, etc, to better the Port’s services and increase its productivity.

3)The Green Port

The Green Port or Green Harbour rests in the eastern part of Port Sudan. It has a specially-made dock to receive cargo-laden vessels.

This Port handles dry bulk cargo, containers, and seeds. The construction of Green Port has significantly expanded Port Sudan’s handling capacity.

The entrance to the Port’s docking area spans over 180 meters. It has two berths, each 560 meters long and 15 meters deep. The Port’s storage capacity is around 43,5000m2 and can handle vessels weighing around 50,000 tonnes.

4)Al Khair Terminal

The terminal is about 3 kilometres from Port Sudan. This terminal is an oil terminal that can manage oil tankers with a capacity of 50,000 DWT and a 15-meter draft. The terminal’s per annum capacity is 2.67 million tonnes.

Constructing this terminal commenced in 2001 and was completed in 2003. It became functional in 2002 and is the main Port for the export of petroleum for instance Benzene.

In 2017, 80 vessels used the terminal, importing 2,222,600 metric tonnes of oil products. The terminal has not exported any oil in about one decade.

5)Marsa Bashayer Export Terminal

This terminal, 25 km from Port Sudan, has been built as the main Port for exporting crude oil.

The Marsa Bashayer Terminal exports 1,200,000 bops every year. Total capacity is being increased to 2,000,000 bops. An 1800 m pipeline runs from the storage tanks to the sea to supply the tankers with crude oil. Port Sudan and Heglig are now more connected than ever before.

This terminal has five large storage tanks, one around 80 meters wide and 15 meters tall. The tanks can store almost half a million barrels of oil.

Port of Osman Digna

The Osman Digna Port is in the old town of Suakin, just 60 km from Port Sudan. It has nine berths, each 750 meters long, and an annual capacity of 3 million tonnes. It is mainly used by passengers.

Hence, it has two halls that serve as waiting rooms, one for incoming and the other for departing passengers. In addition, there is an open area near the arrival room to store luggage. The shipping agents manage it.

Osaief Port

Although this Port is not in working condition now, it is situated 250 km away from Port Sudan. It was at one point used for the export of iron ore.

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El.Zoubair.M.Salih also called the Wadi Halfa Port

It is a small port on the river Nile, near the Sudan-Egypt border. Passengers and traders use it for trading purposes.

Kosti Port

It is a logistics depot and dry Port located 400 km from Khartoum.

Sudan’s ports have led to considerable economic growth. Unlike other countries whose ports act as trading points and tourist spots. Sudan’s ports are not very famous tourist attractions.

Due to the current political situation, the country hardly sees any tourists. However, Port Sudan is famous among divers.

It is prosperous in corals and marine life. Many divers visit Port Sudan in November. Another prominent place is the Sudan Sea Resort.