The completion of the Port Said Grain Terminal marks a significant milestone in enhancing Egypt’s food security and expanding its strategic infrastructure for grain storage and transit. The expertise of Cimbria on this landmark project has enabled the successful implementation of industry-leading technology and expertise to support sustainable growth in Egypt’s food supply chain.
Advancing Food Security in Egypt
The Port Said facility was designed and constructed to address critical food security needs for a rapidly growing population. With Egypt importing millions of tons of wheat annually, innovative infrastructure is essential to ensure secure storage and efficient handling of grain, significantly strengthening the country’s stockpile capabilities and protecting against market fluctuations.
Positioned at the entry point of the Suez Canal, a key global trade hub, this state-of-the-art facility now plays a vital role in managing imports and reducing post-harvest losses, particularly in the Canal Zone and the East Delta provinces.
Cimbria contributed cutting-edge technology to the project, cementing our commitment to building scalable, sustainable solutions for secure and efficient food management worldwide.
Cimbria’s Technological Contributions
Our role as a trusted sub-supplier for the Port Said project brought our advanced materials and systems to the forefront of the facility’s infrastructure. Collaboration was central to our success: working in close strategic partnership with Rowad Modern Engineering as main contractor, we combined our technological expertise with their knowledge and capabilities.
Given the highly complex construction environment, the close collaboration of our local project manager, supervising the project’s organization and technical aspects, with the local workers, was essential. Their shared cultural understanding and language proved vital in overcoming challenges and achieving exceptional results, ensuring all equipment was installed efficiently despite space limitations and complex demands.
The key technological contributions we delivered were:
- Grain Bins with Advanced Storage Features
Cimbria supplied eight state-of-the-art silo bins, each capable of storing 12.500t of grain, for a total capacity of 100.000t storage.
These silos are notably larger than the typical 5.000t capacity, a necessary choice due to limited available space, which mandated vertical construction. The design and implementation of such large silos required advanced engineering and unconventional construction solutions, particularly in managing wind loads at significant heights in a port environment.
These bins come equipped with advanced storage solutions to maintain the quality of the cereal for prolonged periods. Engineered with modern safety measures and precision design, they ensure efficient management during each cycle, offering secure storage for an annual throughput of over 1.3 million tons.
- High Capacity Conveyor Systems
The terminal design, particularly the conveyor systems, was developed in close collaboration with the supplier of the ship unloaders, Neuero Industrietechnik, to fully optimize operations based on their specific needs. Ship unloading is a critical and typically time-consuming process. Now in Port Said discharge operations are reduced by at least half, significantly accelerating vessel turnaround. Furthermore, the terminal boasts two separate unloading stations and Jetty conveyors, offering immense material transport capacity suitable for port environments.
- Fully Electronic Control System
Built-in electronic control systems provide centralized management of the facility. Operators can monitor, adjust, and optimize operations in real time, allowing for precision control over grain handling and ensuring efficiency at all times. This innovative system contributes to reduced waste, improved handling speeds, and enhanced productivity.
- Modern Loading Equipment for Multi-Modal Transport
To facilitate seamless transitions between storage and transportation, the loading equipment supplied by Cimbria was designed to expedite rail and truck logistics. This equipment maximizes throughput efficiency and minimizes delays, supporting swift transport of grain to key regions across Egypt. A key differentiator of this facility is its exceptional efficiency, attributed to its multiplicity of unloading options, including direct transfer from vessel to trucks, from vessel to storage, and storage to truck and rail.
- Looking Ahead
We’re incredibly proud to have played a pivotal role in this groundbreaking project. By combining our innovative technology with strong local partnerships, we have delivered a cereal handling facility that will safeguard Egypt’s grain reserves, improve food security, and strengthen its infrastructure for years to come. Our commitment to precision, reliability, and sustainability remains central to our operations, and we look forward to continuing to support similar initiatives around the globe. The Port Said project is a clear reflection of our capacity to deliver impactful solutions, with the potential to shape the future of food security in growing economies.
