Turkey has sent a senior naval delegation to Port Sudan to assess military shipbuilding and repair facilities, marking another step in Ankara’s expanding defence cooperation with Sudan’s army-aligned authorities.
Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence confirmed that representatives from the Turkish Naval Forces Command and the General Directorate of Shipyards visited Sudan between November 2 and 5.
The delegation inspected maintenance workshops and a ship-repair slipway at Port Sudan Naval Base as part of efforts to evaluate and strengthen the Sudanese Navy’s shipbuilding capabilities.
During the visit, Turkish officials also met Sudanese Navy Commander Vice Admiral Mahjoub Bushra Ahmed Rahman.
The ministry said the mission was intended to examine existing naval infrastructure and explore ways to improve the Sudanese Navy’s capacity to construct and maintain vessels.
The announcement comes as military and economic cooperation between Ankara and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) government continues to expand.
Turkish investment in Red Sea infrastructure
In a separate development, Sudan’s Sea Ports Corporation signed an agreement on November 8 with Suakin Petroleum to establish a specialised marine terminal for liquefied natural gas in the eastern coastal city of Suakin.
Suakin Petroleum is a joint venture involving Turkish company Argaz and Sudanese firm Petrodar.
The project, structured under a build-operate-transfer arrangement, includes a marine berth capable of receiving gas carriers with capacities of up to 5,000 tonnes, alongside storage facilities with a capacity of approximately 28,000 tonnes.
Officials said construction would take an estimated 24 months.
Turkish Ambassador to Sudan Fakhri Oba attended the signing ceremony, highlighting Ankara’s interest in expanding commercial and infrastructure investment in the country.
Growing strategic relationship
The developments reflect Turkey’s increasing engagement with Sudan’s Red Sea coast, a strategically important area connecting African and Middle Eastern maritime trade routes.
Port Sudan has become the principal administrative and military centre for authorities aligned with army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan during the conflict that began in April 2023.
The Turkish naval visit also coincides with broader military contacts between Ankara and Sudanese military officials.
Sudan is among the countries participating as observers in Turkey’s Blue Whale 2026 naval exercise, scheduled to take place in the eastern Mediterranean from November 9 to 20.
Although the Turkish defence ministry has confirmed the technical naval visit, it has not announced any agreement to transfer warships, establish a permanent military presence or provide new naval weapons.
Nevertheless, the inspection of military shipbuilding facilities, combined with new Turkish-linked investment in maritime infrastructure, underscores Ankara’s growing relationship with the SAF government.
The developments come as Sudan’s war continues to reshape regional security relationships and foreign involvement around the Red Sea.
