Saudi ports’ container volumes rise by 11.6% in September

Saudi Arabia’s ports witnessed an annual growth of 11.6 percent to 732,293 cargo-handling containers in September, according to a government agency.

The Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, stated in its latest report that the number of containers exported last month increased 18.2 percent year on year to 234,663.

The data showed that the imported containers in September surged 17.1 percent to 217,933.

These figures underscore the authority’s commitment to enhancing port services and capacity. They also highlight the resilience of the Saudi economy and the robustness of supply chains and commercial activity.

Additionally, this increase in numbers aligns with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which seeks to consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a key player in global logistics.

In addition, transshipment containers increased by 3.09 percent annually to 279,697, and the total volume of goods handled through the ports rose by 2.59 percent year on year to 26 million tons.

The volume of general cargo totaled 676,017 tons, while solid bulk cargo amounted to 4.21 million tons, and liquid bulk cargo stood at 13.1 million tons.

Furthermore, the ports reported an unloading rate of 533,948 heads of livestock, representing a 744.31 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022.

In addition, the authority’s ports received approximately 72,934 passengers, marking a 79.29 percent gain compared to the corresponding month in the previous year.

Regarding vehicles, the ports welcomed around 83,049 cars, indicating a surge of 19.77 percent compared to September 2022.

Maritime traffic also experienced a11.83 percent year-on-year increase, with approximately 1,040 ships recorded in September.

Mawani’s objectives involve expanding port capacity to handle more than 40 million containers annually and increasing the Kingdom’s market share in regional transshipment to 45 percent. These efforts are in line with its ongoing commitment to enhance Saudi Arabia’s position on international indicators.

Established in 1976, Mawani aims to improve the connectivity of the maritime navigation network with global shipping lines and bolster the competitiveness of Saudi ports.