Blue Belt Wreck - Port Sudan & Sanganeb

The Blue Belt Wreck, submerged at a comfortable 26 metres, holds a quiet fascination. It's not the biggest wreck in these waters, nor the most dramatic in its sinking, but we love its melancholic beauty. This cargo ship met its end in the late 1970s carrying a consignment of vehicles and spare parts, and you can still see the ghosts of its cargo. Imagine jeeps, trucks, and a surprising number of toilets, all fused into the surrounding reef over the decades. We always make a point of gliding over the deck, peering into the holds where the sediment glows with flashes of silver from schooling glassfish. The stern, in particular, is captivating. We’ve spent many a dive here, watching robust groupers patrol the shadowed corridors, while batfish fin idly above the superstructure. It's an intermediate dive, well within recreational limits, making it accessible to those with a good grasp of buoyancy control. The real draw is the atmosphere, that sense of suspended history, and the way the sea has effortlessly reclaimed it all.

Location
Port Sudan & Sanganeb, Sudan, Red Sea & Middle East
Coordinates
20.308100, 37.310600
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
26m
Difficulty
Intermediate

Wreck History - Blue Belt Wreck

Year Sunk
1977
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
grounding
Tonnage
3,842 GRT

The Blue Belt Wreck, a Saudi Arabian cargo vessel, was on its final voyage from Jeddah to Port Sudan in late 1977. Its holds were packed with a brand-new fleet of Toyota vehicles, including Hilux pickups, Landcruisers, and saloon cars, all destined for the Sudanese market. The ship was a common sight in the Red Sea, plying the busy trade routes of the region.

On the night of December 1, 1977, the ship was navigating near the treacherous Sha'ab Su'adi reef when it was caught in a fierce storm. Pushed off course by the heavy weather, the Blue Belt ran hard aground on the reef. It remained stranded on the reef top for a period before the relentless wave action caused it to slip back into deeper water, where it capsized and sank, coming to rest completely upside down on the sloping seabed.

Today, the Blue Belt is one of Sudan's most iconic and unique wreck dives. The vessel lies inverted with its stern in around 20m and its bow pointing down the slope. The main attraction is the surreal underwater car park scattered around the wreck. Divers can swim amongst the fleet of 1970s Toyotas, now transformed into artificial reefs encrusted with corals and home to a variety of fish. Exploring the cargo holds and the vehicle graveyard makes for an unforgettable dive and a fantastic photo opportunity.

Marine Protected Area: Parc national marin de Sanganeb et parc national marin de la baie de Dungonab - île de Mukkawar

Best Time to Dive in Port Sudan & Sanganeb

The warmest water temperatures in Port Sudan & Sanganeb occur in August, averaging 32.0°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 25.4°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 26.1°C
  • February: 25.4°C
  • March: 25.5°C
  • April: 26.7°C
  • May: 29.0°C
  • June: 30.1°C
  • July: 31.0°C
  • August: 32.0°C
  • September: 31.7°C
  • October: 30.9°C
  • November: 29.5°C
  • December: 28.1°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Port Sudan & Sanganeb

Marine Life in Port Sudan & Sanganeb

Home to 55 recorded species including 41 reef fish, 14 hard corals.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Blue Belt Wreck

Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C, currents 9 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories