The idea of establishing the Sudanese Shipping Lines was first conceived in 1959 as the company started its commercial activity in 1962 with two ships as a result of the joint cooperation agreement between governments of Sudan and Yugoslavia which was a nucleus of setting up a national shipping fleet that would contribute to the carrying of the country's imports and exports.
The company was further developed until it possessed a fleet of ships with a total capacity of 123,000 tons on its regular lines.

The company experienced its first crisis when it failed to meet its obligations regarding settlement of loans lent to it for the six ships constructed in Yugoslavia. The crisis came to a head in 1984 as it was not finally settled except with the eruption of the National Salvation Revolution which directed the national business to repay $16 million with settlement of the remaining sum in easy installments out of the country's resources.

The Sudanese Shipping Lines Company seeks to step into a new era as it had exerted intensified efforts to that end.

The Sudanese Shipping Lines Company sends its ships regularly every fortnight to Northwest Europe and the United Kingdom including ports of Sibrins, Hambourg, Antuwierb, Roterdam, Loreint and the Libyan ports of Tripoli and Benghazi.
The Company's vessels frequent ports of the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic, including Barcelona, Marsselia, Genoa, Liferno and Naples.

The Company's ships also frequent ports on the Red Sea, including Aqba, Jeddah, Al-Hodidah, Al-Maghait, Al-Maklah, Port Sudan, Mossawa, Assab, Mogudishu and Barbara.