Egypt’s ports ‘major supply outlets’ for Israel during war on Gaza

This photo shows cargo ship Lucy Borchard which is among the most frequent ships sailing between Egyptian and Israeli ports. (By Wikimedia Commons)

An open-source investigation has found that Egyptian seaports have become major stations for cargo and cement ships transporting goods to and from Israel since the war on the besieged Gaza Strip began last October.

The investigation published on Thursday by Arabi Post monitored the activity of 19 ships over the past three months and tracked their sea routes, using open-source maritime data. It found that they were confined to traveling back and forth between Israeli and Egyptian ports.

According to the report, dozens of other ships were also transporting goods to and from Israel but they were not limited to moving between the Israeli and Egyptian ports.

During the same period, no ships from other Arab countries arrived at Israeli ports, the report said.

“Egyptian ports are vital points for transporting goods to and from Israel due to their proximity to Israeli ports, especially Ashdod Port, which is about 29 kilometers away from Gaza, as well as the strategic Haifa Port,” Arabi Post said, noting that the closeness between the ports reduces shipping costs which affect the prices of shipped goods.

The investigation is based on data from the activity of seven ports, including the Israeli ports of Ashdod and Haifa, and the Egyptian ports of Port Said, Abu Qir, Alexandria, Dekheila, and Damietta, which are located on the Mediterranean Sea.

The 19 vessels included seven container ships, six cement carriers, five general cargo ships, and one bulk carrier which transports bulk cargo such as grains, sugar, and coal.

The investigation showed that the seven container ships and the five general cargo ships primarily operated between Egypt's Alexandria, Damietta, Dekheila, Port Said, and al-Arish, and the Israeli ports of Haifa and Ashdod.

These ships sailed under the flags of Panama, Liberia, Israel, Egypt, Antigua and Barbuda, Singapore, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

According to Vesselfinder ship tracking data, these 12 ships are owned by companies in Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Singapore, Germany and Cyprus.

The investigation also found that the six cement carriers did not frequently visit Egyptian ports in 2022 and 2023, but their trips focused on Israel and Egypt during the war on Gaza, Arabi Post reported.

The report noted that the ships primarily operated between the Egyptian ports of al-Arish, Abu Qir and Alexandria, and the Israeli ports of Haifa and Ashdod.

Both al-Arish and Alexandria have cement factories.

Egypt’s trade with Israel has increased since the war on Gaza began in October.

Arabi Post cited data as saying that Egypt's exports to Israel between October 2023 and July 31, 2024 hit $170.1 million, while exports during the same period in 2022 and 2023 amounted to $162.8 million.

Egypt’s imports from Israel after the war nearly tripled. Egypt’s imports from Israel between October 2023 and July 2024 were $331.6 million, while imports during the same months of 2022 and 2023 amounted to $106.8 million.

The investigation comes while Gaza is under complete siege, with Egypt saying Israel was not cooperating with the delivery of aid into the strip.