DP World Sokhna received the MV Aroya, the first passenger vessel to dock at the port in 2025, on February 26, according to the company’s release.
The vessel, operated by Cruise Saudi, carried 1,600 passengers on a route spanning Jeddah, Sokhna, Sharm El Sheikh, and Aqaba in the GCC region. The port’s marine services managed the berthing process, while a dedicated team oversaw immigration, customs clearance, and passenger disembarkation. The terminal’s logistics capabilities facilitated baggage handling and shore excursion coordination for access to Egypt’s cultural and historical sites.
“Our modernised terminal is designed to support the growth of Egypt across several sectors, acting as a key gateway that is connecting the world to Egypt, and Egypt to the world. The handling of our first passenger vessel this year reaffirms our capability to support the growth of Egypt’s economy, through tourism,” said Avnash Iyer, COO & Acting CEO, Egypt, DP World.
DP World Sokhna processed 688,000 TEUs of container cargo in 2024, a 10% increase from the previous year. The port’s cruise operations build on this capacity, with infrastructure upgrades completed in 2023 enhancing its ability to handle passenger vessels.
Cruise Saudi, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, deployed the MV Aroya as part of its strategy to expand cruise tourism in the Red Sea, with the vessel’s capacity listed at 2,600 passengers, though only 1,600 were onboard for this trip.
DP World is a Dubai-based global port operator founded in 2005, managing 78 ports and terminals across six continents, with over 100,000 employees.
Cruise Saudi is a Saudi Arabian company established in 2021, owned by the Public Investment Fund, focused on developing cruise tourism in the Red Sea region.
DP World Sokhna is a subsidiary of DP World, operating the port at Ain Sokhna, Egypt, since 2007, handling containers, bulk cargo, and passenger vessels.