Ain Sokhna

Ain Sokhna العين السخنة El ʿĒn El Sokhna
Town
Ain Sokhna Location in Egypt
Coordinates: 29.6°N 32.3167°E / 29.6; 32.3167
Country	Egypt
Governorate	Suez
Population
• Total	45,552
Time zone	UTC+2 (EST)

Al-'Ain al-Sokhna (Arabic: العين السخنة, romanized: al-ʿAyn as-Sukhna Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [elˈʕeːn esˈsoxnæ], "the Hot Spring") is a town in the Suez Governorate, lying on the western shore of the Red Sea's Gulf of Suez. It is situated 55 kilometres (34 mi) south of Suez and approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) east of Cairo.

History

Recent archaeological excavations have shown that there was an ancient Egyptian port and settlement in this area. The site was first brought to attention in 1999 by Professor Mahmud Abd El Raziq. French and Egyptian archaeologists have been investigating this area since that time. It can be compared with the port of Mersa Gawasis further south. It connected the mining areas of the Sinai with Memphis some 120 km across the Eastern Desert, important for turquoise and copper.

Early Bronze

As early as the Old Kingdom, seafaring expeditions on the Red Sea were organized from this port. Similar material was also found at the Wadi Maghareh, where many Old Kingdom inscriptions are found.

Middle Bronze

In the Middle Kingdom, activity continued along the Red Sea and across to the mining areas in the Sinai.

Eleventh Dynasty

In Year 1 of Mentuhotep IV, an expedition of 3,000 men was sent to bring back "products the desert".

Twelfth Dynasty

Some 4,000 men were sent in an expedition during the reign of Amenemhat I. In Year 9 of Senusret I and Year 2 of Amenemhat II more expeditions were sent. Ity, son of Isis, was an official serving Amenemhat II and he also has two inscriptions at Wadi Maghara dated to the same year. Ten storage galleries cut into the rock has yielded items, including wooden boat planks, ceramics from the 12th Dynasty, and a gold pendant with parallels to some found at Dahshur dating to the reign of Senusret III.

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert (BWh), as the rest of Egypt.

Climate data for Ain Sokhna
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	18 (64)	19 (66)	22 (72)	27 (81)	31 (88)	33 (91)	34 (93)	34 (93)	31 (88)	29 (84)	24 (75)	19 (66)	27 (80)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	7 (45)	7 (45)	9 (48)	12 (54)	16 (61)	19 (66)	20 (68)	21 (70)	19 (66)	16 (61)	13 (55)	8 (46)	14 (57)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	4 (0.2)	4 (0.2)	4 (0.2)	2 (0.1)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.0)	3 (0.1)	4 (0.2)	22 (1)
Average rainy days	3	3	2	2	2	1	0	0	0	1	3	4	21
Mean daily sunshine hours	8	8	9	10	11	12	12	11	10	10	8	7	10
Source: Weather2Travel

Ain Sokhna mean sea temperature

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
22 °C (72 °F)	21 °C (70 °F)	21 °C (70 °F)	23 °C (73 °F)	24 °C (75 °F)	26 °C (79 °F)	27 °C (81 °F)	28 °C (82 °F)	28 °C (82 °F)	27 °C (81 °F)	25 °C (77 °F)	23 °C (73 °F)

Economy

The town also has a port called Ain Sokhna port.

Ain Sokhna has rapidly emerged as one of Egypt's most important industrial, logistics, and export-oriented economic hubs, driven by large-scale investments inside the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone). Centered around the industrial districts of Sokhna and the Chinese-developed TEDA industrial zone, the area has attracted billions of dollars in foreign direct investment across heavy industry, renewable energy, petrochemicals, automotive supply chains, electronics, fiberglass, logistics, and advanced manufacturing.

Industrial development

The Sokhna integrated industrial zone has become a major destination for Chinese, Gulf, Turkish, Indian, and European manufacturers seeking export-oriented production bases connecting Africa, the Middle East, and Europe through the Red Sea trade corridor.

By March 2026, the Ain Sokhna industrial zone had attracted approximately US$33.06 billion in investments across 547 industrial and service projects operating in sectors including textiles, mining, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, engineering industries, construction materials, energy, logistics, and metals manufacturing.

Construction materials industry

Saint-Gobain, the French multinational specializing in sustainable construction materials, is expanding its footprint in Egypt with a specialized glass plant in Sokhna with an area of 200,000 square meters and investment of €175 million signed in March 2024. Planned production of 900 tons per day (328,500 tons per year) to be used for the automotive, solar energy, and building sectors. It is expected to reduce Egypt's import bill by about $35 million annually. The facility will be powered by a 70,000 square meter, 10-megawatt (MW) solar power plant, built in 2023, which is expected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 6,000 tons.

Construction involves significant civil works, including furnaces, float plants, and warehouses, with support from firms like Rowad Modern Engineering. Production is scheduled to begin by September 2026. This investment marks Saint-Gobain's third facility in the Sokhna area and its largest project in the Middle East and Africa, doubling its total investment in Egypt from €250 million in 2009 to €500 million.

The company has had a network of commercial agencies (SGG Exprover) in Egypt and the Middle East since the beginning of the 1980s. The first facility's construction began in 2008 following a €120 million investment agreement. It was inaugurated in 2010 as a primary flat glass production site, spanning 190,000 square meters. It serves as a major production hub for the Middle East, producing roughly 230,000 tonnes of glass per year.

Following the success of the original float glass plant, Saint-Gobain established a specialized mirror production facility at the site. In 2019, an 8 million euro eco-friendly production line was opened at this facility to boost regional and local supply. This unit spans 10,000 square meters.

Saint-Gobain aims to raise exports from Egypt to Africa from €60 to €120m annually. The Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS) affirmed its support to utilize free trade agreements, specifically the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), to maximize export potential.

TEDA Egypt industrial zone

The Chinese-developed TEDA Egypt industrial zone is among the largest industrial developers in the SCZone. Operating in Egypt since 2008, TEDA has developed more than 7 million square meters of industrial land in Ain Sokhna and later expanded toward nearly 10 square kilometers of total allocated area.

In July 2025, TEDA Egypt signed a major land development agreement covering 2.86 square kilometers in Sokhna with infrastructure investments estimated at US$100 million. The company announced plans to expand from approximately 220 factories to around 1,000 factories by 2030, focusing on high-technology industries, automotive manufacturing, and textiles.

Chinese investments account for a dominant share of foreign investment in the SCZone, with over US$4 billion in Chinese investments attracted during a three-year period, representing more than 60% of total foreign investments in the zone.

Fiberglass industry

Started in 2012, Jushi's factory in Egypt, Jushi Egypt for Fiberglass Industry S.A.E, represents an investment of $1.67 billion and has a production capacity of 340,000 tons annually, filling a manufacturing gap in Africa and making Egypt the third largest producer of fiberglass in the world after China and the United States. 99% of the production is exported, meeting the needs of the Middle East, Turkey, North Africa, and Europe with the remainder to the Egyptian market. The factory is located within the TEDA industrial city in Ain Sokhna. The factory has generated around 2,200 direct jobs, with a high localization rate of about 98% Egyptian employees.

The factory manufactures fiberglass materials used in wind turbine blades, construction materials, automotive components, pipes and tanks, reinforced plastics, insulation materials, industrial composites, fiberglass roving, chopped strand, e-glass fiber products, industrial fiberglass materials.

An environmental impact assessment was conducted for a rooftop solar power project inside the Jushi facility with a planned photovoltaic capacity of 6.85 MW intended to reduce emissions and support factory energy demand.

Textiles

Chinese textile manufacturer F-Tex International is establishing a $30 million, 55,000-square-meter facility in the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Ain Sokhna. Focused on Draw Textured Yarn (DTY) polyester, the 55,000-square-meter plant features 60 production lines with 130,000 tons annual production aimed at 2027 full operations. It is expected to create 400 direct jobs and export revenues estimated at $150 million annually.

Construction began on July 31, 2025, as part of a $55 million total investment in two new Chinese textile projects (including Bridge Textile) in Sokhna.

The Bridge Textile International Egypt project is a major Chinese-backed investment in Sokhna designed to create a fully integrated textile manufacturing hub covering an area of 40,000 square meters with total investments around $25 million.

The complex is designed as a fully integrated chain from raw material to finished product, including 18 spinning lines, over 100 fabric production lines, and 6 printing and dyeing lines. It includes integrated administrative and residential buildings.

Annual output is expected to reach 25 million meters of high-quality fabrics and 105,000 tons of fiber and create approximately 500 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect job opportunities.

Electronics and home appliances

Chinese electronics manufacturer Hisense partnered with UAE-based FBB TECH to establish a large home appliances manufacturing complex inside the TEDA zone with investments estimated at US$38 million. The agreement is part of a broader, longer-term investment plan aiming for roughly $100 million in total. The factory was completed and moved into operation in 2025. The initiative aims to export products to over 100 countries.

The factory occupies approximately 110,000 square meters and is designed to produce smart televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners with annual production capacity reaching 2.5 million units. Around 70% of production is intended for export to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, while the remainder targets the Egyptian market.

Vanward, a major Chinese manufacturer of energy-efficient home appliances (water heaters, cookers, heat exchangers), is establishing a $12 million factory in the TEDA-Egypt industrial zone of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE). The 26,000-square-meter facility aims to boost local production of household appliances, providing 300 jobs (90% Egyptian labor) and enhancing export capacities to African, Middle Eastern, and European markets.

The factory plans to produce approximately 500,000 water heater (electric and gas) units and 2 million heat exchanger sets (component parts for water heaters, aimed at both local and international markets) annually.

Kaks Investment is building a $50 million manufacturing hub in the China-Egypt TEDA trade zone in Ain Sokhna, focusing on home appliance components. The 40,000-square-meter project, which broke ground in April 2025, aims to support supply chains with component manufacturing, customs storage, spare parts distribution, assembly, sheet metal, and injection molding for home appliances, with operations expected to start in late 2026. The factory will create 300 direct jobs.

The projects aim to localize electronic components, sheet metal, and industrial foam production.

Tire manufacturing and automotive supply chains

Chinese tire manufacturer Sailun Group announced the construction of one of the largest tire factories in the Middle East and Africa inside the TEDA industrial zone with investments exceeding US$1 billion. The project occupies approximately 350,000 square meters and is being developed in three phases. The first phase, expected to begin operations in 2026, includes annual production capacity of:

• 3 million passenger car tires
• 600,000 truck and bus tires

Following completion of all phases, total capacity is expected to reach 10 million tires annually, making the facility one of the largest tire production centers in the region. The project is expected to create approximately 1,500 direct jobs during its initial phase in addition to thousands of indirect jobs across logistics, engineering, maintenance, and supply chains.

Separately, the El Arjani Group entered the tire manufacturing sector through acquisition of a 50% stake in Rolling Plus for Industries, a tire manufacturing project developed in partnership with Concrete Plus and Gulf investors. The project, located on a 400,000-square-meter site in Sokhna, carries planned investments estimated at €1 billion and targets annual production between 7 and 8 million tires after completion of all three phases, with the initial phase producing 2.5 to 3 million tires annually. Finland-based Black Donuts Engineering is providing technical consultancy for the factory. Roughly 50% of the production is intended for export, while the remainder will serve the local Egyptian market to reduce imports.

Steel and metals industries

Chinese company XinFeng Steels launched plans for a US$1.65 billion integrated industrial complex in Ain Sokhna focused on steel and downstream metal products. The project spans 3.75 million square meters and is expected to create over 8,000 direct jobs.

The project includes a hot-rolled steel coil plant with annual production capacity of 2 million tons, equivalent to roughly 20% of Egypt's steel production capacity. Additional factories are planned for automotive components, household appliance inputs, and industrial fasteners. Approximately 70% of production is intended for export markets with the remainder for local markets.

Developed in two phases over five years, with construction having begun in early 2025. The complex will consist of nine factories and two service centers (R&D and solid waste recycling):

• Phase 1 (Operational by 2027): Includes factories for hot-rolled steel coils (2M tons/year), standard fasteners (100k tons/year), household appliance components (50k tons/year), and automotive brake components (230k tons/year).
• Phase 2 (Online 2030): Includes factories for cold-rolled steel coils (2M tons/year), aluminum and magnesium alloy auto parts (20k tons/year), steel structures (100k tons/year), machinery components (200k tons/year), and brake drums (150k tons/year).
• Technical Details: The project involves electric arc furnaces (EAF) to produce carbon steel, low-alloy high-strength steel, and engineering steels.

In May 2025, Chinese Xinxing Ductile Iron Pipes Co., Ltd, the world's largest manufacturer of ductile iron pipes, inaugurated their a $150 million ductile iron pipe factory in the TEDA-Egypt industrial zone on 270,500 square meters, creating over 700 direct and 220 indirect jobs and reaching 250,000 tons with diameters of up to 2,600 mm in annual production, serving African and Gulf markets.

Petrochemicals and heavy industry

The Red Sea Petrochemicals Complex was launched in the southern Sokhna industrial sector as part of Egypt's strategy to localize petrochemical production and increase value-added exports. The project is being developed by the Red Sea National Refining and Petrochemicals Company in partnership with the SCZone development arm.

The complex occupies approximately 3.56 million square meters with estimated total investments reaching US$7.5 billion. Planned products include:

• Polypropylene
• Polyethylene
• Polyester
• Marine/bunker fuels
• Hydrogen by-products

The first phase focuses on polypropylene production from propane feedstock. The project is expected to create more than 2,500 direct and indirect jobs.

Chinese engineering conglomerate CNCEC also announced a second major project im a US$250 million heavy industrial manufacturing facility inside Sokhna Port dedicated to producing large-scale petrochemical and industrial processing equipment such as distillation towers, reactors, pressure vessels, and heavy industrial containers. The project is scheduled to be launched in 2026.

The facility will span 200,000 square meters and will process carbon steel, low-alloy steel, stainless steel, and composite sheets. The project includes a specialized maritime quay between 350 and 400 meters in length allowing direct export of oversized industrial equipment.

This initiative is the second part of an integrated agreement. The first part, a $34 million deal signed in January 2026, focuses on manufacturing pipes and steel structures for a soda ash project (spanning approximately 100,000 square meters), also in the Sokhna Industrial Zone. The facility will manufacture steel structures, carbon steel and stainless-steel pipes, as well as non-standard industrial equipment The expected annual capacity is 20,000 tons of steel structures and 400,000 diameter inches of piping.

On April 23, 2026, Egypt inaugurated the Pearl Polyurethane North Africa factory in the Sokhna Integrated Industrial Zone (SCZone), a $3 million project focused on producing polyurethane chemical formulations for African and European markets. The facility is located within the development area of the Main Development Company and operates as a ready-to-operate Plug and Play unit. Built on an area of 5,090 square meters.

The plant focuses on producing polyurethane insulation and insulation solutions. It has an annual output of 10,000 tons in its initial phase and is expected to create 20 direct jobs. The project was planned to start in the first quarter of 2025, with final inauguration occurring in April 2026, serving as the company's sixth site. By producing the foam for car seats and insulation for refrigerators locally, Egypt is reducing its reliance on intermediate imports.

Green hydrogen, green ammonia and e-fuels sector

Ain Sokhna is emerging as an important green hydrogen and green fuels hub in the Middle East and North Africa, driven by Egypt's ambition to become a global exporter of low-carbon energy carriers. The zone hosts large-scale developments focused on green hydrogen production, where renewable electricity from solar and wind projects is used to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. This hydrogen is primarily intended for conversion into green ammonia, which is easier to store and transport for global trade.

Together, these projects form part of a broader "green fuels corridor" strategy linked to the Suez Canal shipping route, allowing Egypt to supply low-carbon fuels to one of the world's busiest maritime corridors. This positions Ain Sokhna not only as an industrial manufacturing hub, but also as a future global center for hydrogen-based energy exports and synthetic fuel production.

One of the flagship developments in the SCZone includes a 100 MW green hydrogen project spearheaded by Norwegian Scatec ASA in partnership with The Sovereign Fund of Egypt, Orascom Construction, and Fertiglobe. The project entered partial operation in January 2026. The project is designed to supply hydrogen for industrial use and downstream ammonia production for export markets.

The broader industrial ecosystem in Ain Sokhna is targeting multi-phase expansion toward large-scale hydrogen and ammonia output to serve European and Asian demand. A major component of this strategy is green ammonia production facilities, which are being developed as export-oriented chemical plants. These projects aim to produce ammonia at industrial scale for use in:

• Fertilizers
• Chemicals
• Marine fuels
• Potential zero-carbon shipping fuel applications

The plant converts green hydrogen into green ammonia for export to European and US markets. It produced the world's first green ammonia shipment in late 2023. Planned capacity in the zone is expected to reach hundreds of thousands to over one million tons annually in future phases, positioning Sokhna as a key global supplier.

The SCZone is targeting multi-phase expansions, aiming for production capacities reaching over one million tons of ammonia annually in future phases. To support these projects, a four-phase water desalination plant is being developed in Sokhna.

• The first phase is expected to begin operations in late 2026.
• Initial production capacity will reach 250,000 cubic meters per day.

This infrastructure is intended to support large-scale hydrogen and ammonia production activities. Major players involved in the sector include:

• Scatec ASA
• Fertiglobe
• Orascom Construction
• Masdar
• EDF Renewables
• ReNew Power

The European Commission is heavily involved, with €34.3 million in funding supporting the Sokhna Green Ammonia project. In addition, Fertiglobe won the bid in the "Egypt Green Hydrogen" project in the H2Global pilot auction (delivered price of €1,000 per ton), securing a contract to supply renewable ammonia to the European Union, with deliveries starting in 2027 at a potential 19,500 tons, aimed at scaling up to 397,000 tons cumulatively by 2033. The deal, valued at up to €397 million, supports Egypt's goal to become a regional green fuel hub.

In parallel, Ain Sokhna is preparing for the development of e-fuels (synthetic fuels), produced by combining green hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide.

These include:

• E-methanol
• Synthetic aviation fuels (SAF)

These fuels are expected to play a growing role in decarbonizing aviation and maritime transport. The zone is also actively preparing for green bunker fuel adoption for ships passing through the Suez Canal by 2026.

With more than $83 billion in project investments in the pipeline, the zone is shifting from a pilot phase to a large-scale industrial reality, aiming for a share in the global hydrogen economy.

Renewable energy manufacturing

Ain Sokhna became a major center for renewable energy manufacturing during the mid-2020s as Egypt pursued large-scale localization of solar and wind energy supply chains.

Danish wind-energy company Vestas studied plans for a wind turbine manufacturing facility in the SCZone with proposed investments estimated at €600 million. The project would support Egypt's planned wind farm expansion and localize turbine technology production.

Solar energy industry

Multiple large solar manufacturing projects were announced in Sokhna:

• The Atom Solar Egypt complex, developed by a multinational consortium including JA Solar (China), Global South Utilities (GSU - UAE), AH Company (Egypt), Infinity Capital (Bahrain), was launched with investments estimated at US$220 million over 200,000 square meters. The project includes: 2 GW solar cell manufacturing capacity (100% for export), 2 GW solar panel manufacturing capacity ((modules) for local and regional markets), 1 GWh battery storage manufacturing capacity. Expected to create 841–850 direct jobs.
• Chinese manufacturer Elite Solar established one of Egypt's first integrated solar cell and panel factories in TEDA Sokhna with investments of approximately US$116 million. The facility occupies 78,000 square meters. The complex is designed for a total capacity of 5 GW (consisting of 2 GW of N-type solar cell production and 3 GW of solar module assembly). While ground was broken in December 2024, the complex was inaugurated and brought online in January 2026, ahead of the initial September 2025 Phase 1 target.
• Sunrev Solar launched another major solar manufacturing project covering 200,000 square meters with investments estimated at US$200 million. The investment aims to produce high-efficiency solar modules and create over 1,800 direct jobs. The project includes two factories in the first phase for manufacturing solar cells and modules, with a capacity of 2 GW each. The second phase will focus on localizing raw material production, including silicon ingots and wafers. Operations are scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026.
• Chinese firm Xinjing New Kibing Technology entered negotiations to establish one of the world's largest solar glass factories in the SCZone with proposed investments around US$700 million. This two-phase project aims to produce over 1.53 million tons of solar PV glass and 1.08 million tons of high-purity silica sand annually, aiming to boost local manufacturing.

Telecommunications and fiber optics

A fiber-optic cable manufacturing plant was established in Sokhna through a partnership between Benya Cables, the Arab Organization for Industrialization, and Corning of the United States.

The project spans approximately 60,000 square meters and was designed to produce 25,000 km of cables and about 4 million km of optical fibers annually to support Egypt's telecommunications modernization, internet infrastructure expansion programs, and exporting to countries of the region.

Consumer goods and sanitary products

Turkish company Hayat Egypt expanded its Sokhna operations through a US$60 million investment in a new production facility manufacturing nonwoven sanitary, tissue products, baby diapers and feminine products, bringing the company's total investment in Egypt to $632 million.

The expansion increased the company's production capacity to approximately 60,000 tons annually while raising total direct employment to more than 650 jobs across its Sokhna operations.

Significantly, 75% of its output is earmarked for export markets, with the remaining 25% supplied domestically. The facility was scheduled to be fully operational by March 2026, boosting Hayat Egypt's hygiene production capacity by 55%.

Fertilizers and phosphate industries

Indian conglomerate Indorama partnered with Phosphate Misr to develop a new phosphate fertilizer fertilizer plant in Ain Sokhna with investments estimated at US$525 million. The project will cover 522,000 square meters, create 3,000 jobs (2,500 direct) and aims to produce 600,000 tonnes annually in its first phase, with 80% destined for export, while the remainder goes to local markets.

It includes the integrated production of phosphatic fertilizers, rock phosphate, ammonia, sulphur, potash, urea, and specialized chemicals like zinc sulphate, boric acid/sodium borate, and sodium molybdate.

The project complemented wider phosphate-processing investments connected to Egypt's phosphate mining operations in Abu Tartur and the Red Sea region.

Pharmaceutical industry

Ain Sokhna is a major hub for Egypt's pharmaceutical and medical localization sstrategy. The area hosts a dedicated 4-million-square-meter pharmaceutical zone focused on reducing reliance on imported medical goods and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

Arab API (the Arab Company for Pharmaceutical Raw Materials), an Egyptian joint-stock company, established to build the first multipurpose active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) factory in the Middle East. It aims to localize pharmaceutical production and reduce the country's heavy reliance (over 90%) on imported raw materials. The company's investment is $165 million. The facility spans over 96,828 square meters, featuring 4 production blocks designed to output 1,200 tons per year across 54 different molecules. It manufactures active and inactive pharmaceutical ingredients, intermediates, concentrates, chemicals, and additives.

The factory is being built in phases and focuses on deepening the medical industry and building highly qualified local human cadres. The supply output is planned to serve the local market (approximately 60%) while the remaining 40% focuses on export capacity—specifically strengthening pharmaceutical supply chains across regional and African markets.

Logistics and infrastructure

Ain Sokhna's economy benefits heavily from integrated maritime and transportation infrastructure centered around Port of Ain Sokhna and the SCZone logistics network. The port has recently deepened its access channel to 18.5 meters and increased its quay wall to 900 meters to accommodate the world's largest ships.

The city serves as the eastern anchor of Egypt's high-speed electric rail network connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. The first line, extending approximately 660 kilometers from Ain Sokhna to Mersa Matruh via the New Administrative Capital, Cairo, Alexandria, and El Alamein, is designed for passenger and freight transportation at speeds up to 250 km/h.

Egyptian officials described the railway as a “Suez Canal on rails” because of its role in rapidly transporting cargo between Red Sea and Mediterranean ports, strengthening Egypt's position as a regional logistics and transshipment hub.