A Journey of Timber: Part 5 – The Destination

On the receiving side of this flow stands Mostafa Abdelfatah, a veteran of Egypt’s timber trade who has spent more than 30 years working with Scandinavian wood. The El Dessouky company is regularly among the country’s largest importers, supplying everyone from small workshops to major construction firms.

“We work with massive volumes,” he explains. “Sometimes we are the number one importer, sometimes number two – but always among the biggest. The key is having enough timber available at the right time.”

That need is driven by a rapidly growing Egypt. New cities, coastal developments and an expanding population all fuel demand. Looking out across construction sites and city streets, Mostafa sums it up simply: everything is timber. Doors, windows, formwork, furniture, scaffolding – wood is everywhere in daily life.

“New cities mean new homes, new offices, and new infrastructure,” he says. “Timber is essential for all of it – from the early construction stages to doors, windows, and furniture.”

Complexity at the quay

Unlike in Scandinavia, where a single stevedore handles loading or unloading, the Egyptian system is far more fragmented.

“Here, every receiver has their own stevedore,” Randa explains. “If a vessel is carrying cargo for ten or twelve different receivers, you might have seven or eight stevedores working at once. Coordinating that without losing time is our biggest challenge.”

Time is everything. The longer a vessel remains in port, the higher the costs – and the greater the risk of disrupting downstream deliveries. On peak days, several timber vessels may arrive at the same time, each carrying thousands of cubic meters of sawn timber. Every barge, storage yard and truck movement has to fit into a tight pattern.

The planning is crucial. By sharing detailed cargo information well before arrival, SOL gives EMCO the chance to prepare the entire operation in advance – documents, stevedores, storage and onward transport. “When SOL loads a vessel, we already know what’s coming, who it’s for, and where it needs to go,” Randa says. “That means we can hit the ground running as soon as the ship docks.”

Over more than three decades, those routines have built a deep reservoir of trust. Randa describes SOL as “one of the best shipping line you can work with” and emphasizes the shared responsibility. “In timber, we are one circuit,” she says. “We work together, okay? I cannot work alone.”

Building the future, one shipment at a time

Looking ahead, Randa is pushing for a dedicated timber storage area in Alexandria to make handling even more efficient and to support further growth in volumes. Continued urban expansion means demand will remain strong: every new household needs doors, windows, tables and chairs.

The journey of timber is ultimately a story about a valuable natural resource and the flexible, trust-based partnerships that keep it moving. Breakbulk shipping is rarely simple, but its adaptability – and the teamwork behind it – makes it possible to maximise every voyage and handle the complexity along the way.

For Randa, the appeal lies precisely in the complexity.

“Every vessel brings a different challenge,” she says with a smile. “But that’s what makes this job exciting. I love shipping – and I love all the difficulties that come with it.”