Port Sudan Upgraded with Chinese Equipment to Keep Trade Moving
Port Sudan remains Sudan’s economic lifeline, sustaining imports and exports with new Chinese equipment, despite sharply reduced volumes and wartime disruption.
Port Sudan continues to operate as a critical artery for Sudan’s wartime economy, keeping goods flowing into the country even as three years of conflict have crippled production, transport and purchasing power.
Sudan received port-handling equipment from China following cooperation agreements signed at a 2024 summit in Beijing. Present at the North Terminal were gantry cranes supplied by ZPMC (Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.).
Officials say the upgrades have improved efficiency and allowed Port Sudan to keep pace with regional maritime networks that are expanding despite Red Sea insecurity.
On the eastern coast, the choreography of trade persists. Container cranes lift cargo, workers guide shipments and trucks roll inland to supply markets across Sudan.
Beyond the port gates, the impact is visible where markets continue to receive imported goods, giving families access to essential items during what officials describe as “a time of national uncertainty”.
Port officials say that new equipment sourced from China and the port’s position on the Red Sea have helped sustain operations.
“It is true that the war has had an impact on the economy in all aspects,” said Gialani Mohamed, Director General of Sudan Ports Corporation (SPC).
“But Sudan’s ports have absorbed the shock and maintained the trade balance. They have also preserved their financial resources as one of the country’s main sources of foreign currency,” he added.
“The strategic location of Sudan’s ports is attractive to many African countries on the coast that want to import from China,” Mohamed said, noting that throughput had grown more complex.
Higher cargo volumes, he added, demand tighter coordination with shipping lines as the workload expands.
In the city’s markets, traders say the uninterrupted functioning of the port has shielded households from even sharper shocks.
Continuous operations, they explained, ensure imported goods remain available, providing “a degree of stability for families during turbulent times”.
Although imports dominate port traffic, some Sudanese exports are still moving out. Exporters report that volumes have fallen because the conflict has disrupted production, transport corridors and pricing stability.
“Volume is lower, but the port’s operations have kept business running despite all the challenges,” said Mohamed Omer, an agricultural exporter. “Shipments to key markets have not stopped.”
Three years of conflict have delivered a devastating blow to Sudan’s economy. Yet Port Sudan stands out as a reminder of what still functions — and what the country risks losing as the war drags on.
Reporting by Awad Mustafa