Director of the Red Sea Shipping Company Hatem Abdel Raheem to (Sudan Events)

*The size of the losses of shipping companies from the militia war exceeds 70%

*The volume of imports and exports through maritime navigation has decreased to 25%.

*Houthi events prevent the arrival of goods to Port Sudan

Sudan Events – Rehab Abdullah

The director of the Red Sea Shipping Company, Hatem Abdel-Rahman, announced the direct impact of the Houthi events on the Red Sea on Sudan’s trade, indicating in his interview with (Sudan Events) that the ships’ journey has become very long, so instead of arriving within 14 days, arrival has become after about 25 days. A day or 26 days, he confirmed that this caused an increase Marine loom.

Abdel-Rahman revealed that all the major companies no longer work directly to the port of Port Sudan, but rather unload the goods in the pivotal port of Jeddah and transport the goods via tributary ships from Jeddah to Port Sudan..More details in the topics below.

How is navigation going now? 

Previously, the Red Sea Shipping Company has more than 20 shipping lines, including PNO. Now there is one shipping line (the Indian Line), it operates transit through the pivotal port of Jeddah.

Now 90% of shipping lines are supervised by private companies.

In light of these circumstances that the country is going through and the weakness of imports, all shipping companies handle transit through the pivotal port of Jeddah and then to Port Sudan via small ships (Rafidian ships).

What is the work situation specifically at the port, the volume of exports and imports, for example? 

There is a noticeable decline in the export imports. The volume of exports and imports for the year 2022-2023 was about 450,000 20-foot equivalent containers. Now in 2023-2024, the volume of imports and exports, according to specialists, is 25% of the previous (450,000) containers.

What is the extent of the losses that companies suffered due to the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Militia on April 15? 

All companies affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce, including the Red Sea Shipping Company and other companies, were directly and noticeably affected in terms of weak imports and exports, and the volume of losses exceeds 70%.

What about fees?

The fees refer to the port handling invoice, and the instability of the exchange rate leads to an increase in handling fees from the ship to the incoming storage area, then to the inspection area, then shipping.

Which in turn leads to the supplier’s inability to withdraw the goods from the port according to the permitted period, and thus leads to an increase in the floors. In addition, the instability of the exchange rate leads to an increase in import fees (delivery permits), and the lack of shipping lines that transport the goods directly to the port of Port Sudan leads to a doubling of the price. The loom.

To what extent did the Houthi events on the Red Sea affect Sudan’s trade? 

The Houthi events directly affected Sudan’s trade in the Red Sea, as the journey became very long, as it used to take only 14 days. Now it takes 25 to 26 days, which led to an increase in maritime freight.

There is talk of navigation companies withdrawing from business. How many are there? 

The evidence is that all the major companies no longer work directly to the port of Port Sudan, but rather unload the goods in the pivotal port of Jeddah and transport the goods via tributary ships from Jeddah to Port Sudan.

But there is talk about companies leaving the labor market? 

There are some companies that left the labor market due to some policies, an example of which is the oilseeds company, but the policy of the current Minister of Trade is to restore the company to its normal position and it began working in its correct production line.