Strategic assessment of Egyptian ports for green energy logistics hub: the case for Gargoub port

Shady Magdy Mahmoud, Mostafa Abdel Gelil, Sara El Gazzar

Abstract


The European Union’s goal to produce 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen annually by 2030 presents a strategic opportunity for Egypt to become a key supplier. This study evaluates four Egyptian ports (Damietta, East Port Said, Sokhna, Gargoub) for their suitability as hydrogen export hubs, informed by expert interviews with stakeholders in the energy and maritime sectors via a three-round Delphi. A Weighted Evaluation Matrix Framework was applied to compare the four ports across 16 criteria grouped into three categories: renewable energy sources, infrastructure, and operational readiness. To ensure analytical consistency, criteria with uniform characteristics across all ports were treated as constants. The research introduces a revised conceptual framework that includes wave energy as part of the renewable energy assessment. The analysis reveals that Gargoub Port holds the highest potential with a composite score of 7.2, due to its exceptional solar (842.7 GW) and wind (40 GW) resources, ample space for expansion, and geographic advantage for European exports. Ain Sokhna and East Port Said follow, benefitting from robust logistics and infrastructure development, while Damietta’s strength lies in container throughput and industrial integration. The analysis covers port infrastructure, development plans, and compliance with hydrogen and ammonia export standards. The findings offer Gargoub as the most viable site for exporting green hydrogen derivatives and call for further research into operational and financial models to support the full realization of Gargoub Port as a regional green energy hub.

 

Received: 02 August 2025

Accepted: 19 September 2025

Published: 02 October 2025


Keywords


Green hydrogen, green ammonia, Hydrogen hubs, Weighted evaluation matrix, Solar potential, Wind potential, EU hydrogen strategy, conceptual framework.

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DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21622/resd.2025.11.2.1551

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Copyright (c) 2025 Shady Magdy Mahmoud, Mostafa Abdel Gelil Abdel Gelil, Sara El Gazzar

Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development

E-ISSN: 2356-8569

P-ISSN: 2356-8518

 

Published by:

Academy Publishing Center (APC)

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)

Alexandria, Egypt

resd@aast.edu