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MGL Cargo, an Egyptian logistics operator, a member of the PFN Network, completed the overland movement of five oversized industrial shutters from Egypt to Oman using extendable low-bed trailers, navigating multi-border customs procedures and a specialized Red Sea ferry crossing at Duba Port in Saudi Arabia to deliver cargo measuring 28 metres in length and weighing 49 tons per unit.
Route complexity tests operator
The shipment, comprising five loads each measuring 28 metres long, 3.4 metres wide, and 4.9 metres high, required end-to-end land freight coordination across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. The over-height profile of the cargo triggered a mandatory X-ray inspection at Duba Port requiring special regulatory approvals before the units could proceed. MGL Cargo did not disclose the name of the end client or the destination facility in Oman.
Wassim Magdy, the MGL Cargo official overseeing the operation, attributed the successful delivery to advance planning and coordination with stakeholders across each jurisdiction. The operator secured specialized road permits across multiple jurisdictions to allow legal transit of loads exceeding standard highway envelope dimensions. Each permit jurisdiction carries its own dimensional thresholds and escort requirements, adding coordination layers that extend lead times on cross-border project cargo movements.
Ferry loading demands engineered plan
The Red Sea crossing between Safaga, Egypt and Duba, Saudi Arabia, presented a distinct operational constraint. The over-gauge profile of the shutters required a dedicated ferry loading plan to accommodate units that exceeded standard roll-on roll-off deck clearances. The Safaga to Duba ro-ro corridor serves trucks and freight regularly, but over-height cargo at nearly five metres requires pre-approval and vessel-specific planning, according to operators familiar with the route.
Customs clearance in Egypt added further procedural complexity. Project cargo exits from Egyptian ports and land borders involve documentation requirements that can delay convoy departures when approvals are not secured in advance.
GCC project cargo demand rises
Oman’s infrastructure pipeline is generating growing volumes of oversized freight. The country’s development agenda, including investments in industrial zones, energy infrastructure, and manufacturing capacity, is drawing project cargo shipments from across the region and beyond, according to logistics providers active in the Gulf Cooperation Council market. Specialized trailers, multi-jurisdiction permits, and ro-ro ferry coordination remain consistent pressure points on the Egypt-to-GCC overland corridor.
MGL Cargo did not disclose total transit time, freight cost, or the identity of the ferry carrier used for the Red Sea crossing.
