Sudan's Red Sea port struggles to recover from blockade and turmoil

FILE PHOTO: A man stands opposite the modern port at the harbour in Port Sudan at Red Sea State February 24, 2014. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

KHARTOUM/LONDON (Reuters) - A blockade of Sudan's main Red Sea port by a local tribal group and threats of more disruptions have hurt efforts to lift the country out of economic crisis and could push trade flows to another regional route, officials and shipping executives say.

Several shipping firms were forced to pause bookings via Port Sudan, the African nation's main international trade gateway that generates vital revenue for the cash-strapped state that is trying to recover from three years of political turmoil.