Saudi Ports Authority Reports Notable Increase In Container Throughput For March 2024

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has reported a significant increase in its maritime and logistics operations for March 2024, highlighting the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to enhance its position as a global logistics hub. According to recent data, there was a 12.48% rise in the number of imported containers, reaching 265,148 TEUs, up from 235,738 TEUs in March 2023. This growth is a direct reflection of Mawani's strategic initiatives under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), aiming to boost the maritime sector and logistics services.

Furthermore, the export sector also saw an uplift with an 8.56% increase in exported containers, totaling 212,672 TEUs compared to 195,895 TEUs in the previous year. This improvement underscores the enhanced handling capacity and competitive advantage of Saudi ports. Overall cargo throughput also experienced growth, with a 3.77% increase to 19,645,292 tons from 18,931,624 tons in March of the preceding year.

Breaking down the cargo types, general cargo witnessed a substantial rise of 53.74%, amounting to 804,837 tons up from 523,513 tons in March 2023. Liquid bulk cargo followed suit with an 8.10% increase, reaching 14,742,797 tons. However, solid bulk goods saw a decline of 14.11%, totaling 3,940,701 tons compared to 4,588,115 tons last year.

Despite these gains in certain areas, the report also highlighted challenges. The total number of handled containers fell by 9.85%, and container transshipment experienced a significant decrease of 48.21%. Additionally, maritime traffic slightly decreased by 3.01%, and passenger numbers dropped by over half compared to the previous year. The automotive sector was not spared either, with a decrease of 17.34% in the number of cars handled.

In response to these mixed results and as part of its commitment to bolstering the maritime infrastructure, Mawani has initiated significant development projects at key ports. Notably, investments worth SAR7 billion are being channeled into developing two container terminals at King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam. Similarly, the Jeddah Islamic Port North Container Terminal is undergoing development through a SAR1 billion investment.

These strategic investments have already started to pay off, as evidenced by the Kingdom's improved performance in the Liner Shipping Connectivity Index. According to the UNCTAD report for Q1 of 2024, Saudi Arabia scored 248 points, marking its progress in enhancing global maritime connectivity.

The livestock sector showed remarkable resilience with a discharge rate of 961,131 cattle heads recorded in March 2024 – a significant increase of 54.12% over the previous year's figures. This aspect of maritime operations underscores the diverse nature of Saudi ports' capabilities and their critical role in supporting not only containerized cargo but also bulk and livestock shipments.

Mawani's efforts and investments are clearly aligned with Saudi Arabia's broader vision to become a leading global logistics hub that efficiently bridges three continents. Despite facing some challenges in container transshipment and passenger services, the overall positive trends in cargo handling and infrastructure development projects signal a strong future for Saudi Arabia's maritime sector.

With inputs from SPA