The shipping company Cma Cgm has made its entry into Egypt’s domestic transport sector by acquiring 35 per cent of the company that operates the October Dry Port, situated near Cairo and considered the most important inland hub in the country. This investment, formalised during the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Egypt on 6 and 7 April 2025, strengthens the French group’s presence in the Egyptian logistics market and marks a strategic step towards expanding its operations in the Mediterranean and Red Sea regions.
The transaction not only involves the acquisition of a 35 per cent stake in Odp but also includes a management agreement that will allow Cma Cgm to participate actively in the operation and development of the logistics and rail platform. This dual approach, combining equity participation with operational management, will enable the French group to directly influence the strategic development of the inland port and integrate it into its global logistics network. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The investment forms part of a broader context of economic cooperation between France and Egypt.
Prior to Cma Cgm’s acquisition, the ownership structure of October Dry Port was dominated by Elsewedy Electric, which held 70 per cent of the shares, while the remaining 30 per cent was divided between Slp for Logistic Properties (20 per cent) and Schenker Egypt (10 per cent). The French group’s entry will reshape the shareholding structure, although the exact details of how the stakes will be redistributed among the partners have not yet been disclosed, nor has the transaction amount been made public.
October Dry Port has been operational since November 2023 and is located in the New Industrial Area of the city of 6th October, near Cairo. The facility was established as a pioneering project within a public-private partnership framework with the General Authority for Land and Dry Ports and was financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development through the Green Cities programme. This initiative represents the first example of a public-private partnership in the Egyptian transport sector.
The inland port is connected to all of Egypt’s main maritime ports, facilitating customs clearance procedures and easing congestion at coastal terminals. With a container traffic capacity of 450,000 teu per year, Odp plays a crucial role in relieving pressure on the seaports and increasing the efficiency of goods movement to Egypt’s interior regions.
One of Odp’s most significant features is its rail connection to the country’s principal ports, notably Alexandria (Mediterranean) and Ain Sokhna (Red Sea), which helps reduce road traffic, lower carbon emissions and cut transport costs. Egyptian Transport Minister Kamel El Wazir stated that the existing rail link between Odp and Alexandria Port, along with the Tahya Misr container terminal, makes the inland port a central logistics hub connecting Greater Cairo to all of Egypt’s maritime ports.
Cma Cgm already operates the Tahya Misr terminal at Alexandria Port, which was inaugurated in June 2023. Furthermore, the French group is set to manage a new terminal at Ain Sokhna Port from 2026. With the acquisition of a stake in Odp, the group completes a strategic triangle linking Egypt’s two main maritime ports with a key inland hub near the capital.
From an operational standpoint, with this acquisition, Cma Cgm plans to use Odp’s facilities to provide inland transport, customs clearance and logistics services throughout Greater Cairo and Upper Egypt. The group also intends to offer regular rail shuttle services between Alexandria, Ain Sokhna and Greater Cairo, enhancing the competitiveness of intermodal transport within the Egyptian market. This vertical integration will allow Cma Cgm to offer door-to-door services, boosting supply chain efficiency and reducing both transport times and costs for its customers in Egypt.
Christine Cabau Woehrel, head of assets and operations at Cma Cgm, stated that this collaboration represents a “unique opportunity to promote the development of low-emission intermodal solutions in Egypt through efficient rail connections”. She also emphasised that this investment reaffirms the group’s long-term commitment to the growth of Egypt’s supply chains, “beautifully combining our global maritime network to and from Egypt, our investment in the terminals of Alexandria and Ain Sokhna, with the ability to offer efficient and competitive door-to-door solutions to our Egyptian customers”.
