Saudi Ports Handle 27 Million Tons Of Cargo In April, Marking Growth

In a significant development for the Saudi maritime sector, the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has reported a notable increase in cargo throughput tonnage during April 2024. The ports handled 27,107,961 tons, marking an 8.58% rise from the 24,965,272 tons recorded in April 2023. This growth underscores the sector's operational efficiency and the quality of logistics services within the Kingdom's ports.

Despite the overall increase in cargo tonnage, the data reveals a mixed performance across different categories. The number of containers processed saw a decline, with 557,681 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled, representing a 19.54% decrease from the previous year's figure of 693,087 TEUs. Similarly, transshipment containers experienced a significant drop of 53.49%, totaling 123,194 TEUs compared to 264,870 TEUs in April 2023.

On a positive note, exported containers witnessed a slight uptick of 3.72%, reaching 216,504 TEUs up from 208,741 TEUs in the corresponding period last year. However, imported containers slightly decreased by 0.68%, with a total of 217,983 TEUs compared to 219,476 TEUs in April 2023.

The report also highlighted figures for general cargo, solid bulk cargo, and liquid bulk cargo. General cargo amounted to 839,368 tons; solid bulk cargo reached 4,108,494 tons; and liquid bulk cargo stood at an impressive 16,075,089 tons. Additionally, there was a significant increase in livestock unloading, with 657,815 cattle heads recorded - a 43.54% rise from the previous year.

However, maritime traffic and passenger numbers have seen declines. Maritime traffic fell by 8.27%, with only 910 ships compared to 992 in April 2023. Passenger numbers also dropped significantly by 35.85%, from 86,175 to just 55,277. The number of cars transported through the ports decreased by 30.55%, standing at 69,788 compared to last year's figure of 100,480.

Mawani has been proactive in undertaking development projects aimed at enhancing the infrastructure and operational capacities of terminals and berths across the Kingdom's ports. These initiatives include equipping facilities with modern equipment and machinery to boost performance and productivity. Such efforts are aligned with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), which seeks to cement Saudi Arabia's position as a leading global logistics hub connecting three continents.

The advancements and strategic developments within Saudi Arabia's maritime sector are pivotal for its ambition to become a global logistics center. Through continuous improvement and investment in infrastructure and services, Mawani is setting new benchmarks for operational excellence in maritime logistics.

With inputs from SPA