PORT SUDAN, a town and harbour on the west coast of the Red Sea, in 19° 37' N. 14' E., 700 m. by boat S. of Suez and 495 m. by rail N.E. of Khartum. Pop. (1926), 21,535. It is the principal port of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and the headquarters of the customs administration. The coral reefs fringing the coast are here broken by a straight channel with deep water giving access to the harbour, which consists of a series of natural channels and basins. Depth to to 14 fathoMs; at the permanent quays, 28 ft. On the north side of the inlet are quays (completed 1909), fitted with electric cranes, etc. Here are the customs house, coal sheds and goods station. The town proper lies on the south side of the inlet, connected with the quays by a railway bridge. Besides government offices the public buildings include hospitals, and a branch of the Gordon College of Khartum.
The port dates from 1905. It owes its existence to the desire of the Sudan administration to find a harbour more suitable than Suakin (q.v.) for the commerce of the country. The railway (which has termini both at Port Sudan and Suakin) was opened in January 1906 and the customs-house in the May following. Port Sudan immediately attracted a large trade, and is now a regular port of call of British, German and Italian steamers. The imports and exports in 1925 were valued at £7,000,000, and the largest vessel yet entered was one of 27,132 tons. The imports are largely cotton goods, provisions, timber and cement; the ex ports gum, raw cotton, ivory, sesame, durra, senna, coffee (from Abyssinia), goat skins, etc. Forty miles north of Port Sudan is Mohammed Gul, the port for the mines of Gebet.