Saudi Ports Record a 9.20% Increase in Container Throughput During September 2022

 The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) is making significant strides towards building sustainable supply chains and maintaining a seamless movement of goods by deploying smart technologies, automation, and logistical support mechanisms that not only sharpen the competitive edge of Saudi ports but position them as a key hub for shipping and logistics giants.

As Mawani’s ambitions align with the latest project launched by the Saudi Railway Company (SAR), a new rail line connecting the North and East train networks to Jubail Industrial City’s internal railway network project, which provides a vital logistical backbone to link industrial and commercial ports.

In addition, the new Project will connect  Jubail industrial City with Jubail Commercial Port and King Fahad Industrial Port in Jubail, as well as King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam and other locations on SAR’s network which will develop shipping and unloading services, in line with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS).

The new rail line will facilitate and secure the transportation of 6 million tons of liquid and solid materials from King Fahad Industrial Port in Jubail, and more than 450,000 TEU annually through railways, in addition  to reducing around 200,000 truck annually on the highway network of the Eastern Province, as it will also contribute to eliminating 70% of carbon emissions caused by trucks.

The objectives of the Project align with the Smart Ports initiative to deliver fast, safe, and green transport solutions that follow global standards of efficiency and reliability, along with meeting the future development demands in transportation of multimodal containers as well as dry and liquid bulk cargo, while bolstering imports, exports, and green shipping mechanisms, through leveraging cost-efficient logistics, minimizing trade costs, and realizing environmental sustainability.

Mawani has enhanced the competitiveness and operational efficiency of King Fahad Industrial Port in Jubail by executing three infrastructure development projects, including the refurbishment of roads and yards as well as building new roads.

Three projects are currently underway to renovate warehouses and modernize machinery and equipment alongside the launch of a pioneering national initiative to supply bunker fuel to vessels. Similarly, Jubail Commercial Port is undergoing various infrastructure upgrade, redesign, and redistribution projects.​

On the other hand Saudi ports record an increase in container throughput during September 2022, to reach a total of 657,420TEU which is 9.20% increase compared to the 602,033 TEU recorded during September 2021.

As the exported containers throughput reached 266,654 TEU with a 12.48% increase compared to the 218,524 TEU recorded in September last year.

While the imported containers reached 203,000 TEU with a 6.74% increase compared to the 188,228 TEU recorded during the same period last year.

Whereas the transshipment containers recorded an 8.59% increase to reach 271,690 TEU in comparison with the 250,200 TEU recorded in the same month last year. 

While this achievement is an outcome of the initiatives launched by the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), which aim to develop the maritime sector, increase the operational efficiency, enhance the legislative and regulatory environment by restructuring procedures, along with strengthening partnerships with the private sector by increasing shipping lines, constructing logistics parks, and launching the Smart Ports initiative which targets automating operations as well as enhancing the customer experience by utilizing modern technologies, in line with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as global logistics hub connecting three major continents.

Following the stability of shipping prices, the cargo throughput recorded an increase during September 2022 to reach 25,678,865 tons with a 3.20% increase compared to the 24,882,022 tons recorded last year.

As Saudi ports handled 873,986 tons of general cargo with a 64.83% increase in comparison to the 530,227 tons recorded in September 2021. While the dry bulk cargo increased by 23.02% to reach 4,611,263 tons compared to the3,748,393 tons recorded last year.

Whereas the liquid bulk decreased by 4.43% to reach 13,388,106 tons compared to the 14,009,399 tons recorded during the same period last year.

Saudi ports witnessed a rise the number of vessels to reach 1,256 vessels which is 20.08% increase compared to the 1,046 vessels recorded last year. While the number of imported cars increased by 22.35% to reach 69,328 cars compared to the 56,665 cars recorded during the same month in 2021.

Aiming to strengthen food security and meet local market demand, the food has reached 2,142,671 tons with a 20.80% increase compared to the 1,773,668 tons recorded in September 2021. While Saudi ports unloaded 63,241 heads of livestock, and received 53,977 passengers during September 2022.

Noting that the 17 initiatives launched by Mawani, in order to deal with challenges which faced the industry globally due the Covid-19 pandemic, have contributed to supporting beneficiaries of the maritime transport services, as well as increasing the quality of services provided to companies and shipping agents, which are major factors of achieving record-breaking numbers in container and cargo throughput at Saudi ports since the beginning of this year until the end of September.