In a remarkable display of accomplishments during the first half of this year, the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has taken momentous strides in enhancing Saudi Arabia’s global logistics prominence, aligning seamlessly with the Vision 2030 aspirations.
A significant milestone was reached through the addition of 20 cargo services to the ports of Jeddah, Dammam, and Jubail. This achievement led to the Kingdom’s notable advancement, securing a Q2 2023 score of 76.16 points in the UNCTAD’s Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (LSCI), showcasing a substantial 4.83-point increase from the previous year.
The commitment to transforming national ports into prime investment hubs was underlined by the collaboration with United Electronics Company (eXtra), resulting in the construction of a 32,000 sq. m. logistics park at King Abdulaziz Port, a venture valued at 35 million riyals. Additionally, Mawani partnered with Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry to establish a sprawling 3 sq. km. logistics park at Al Khumrah, with an investment of one billion riyals.
Over the six-month period, Mawani forged thirteen strategic alliances with both public and private sector entities, including a noteworthy agreement with Alba Nova International and Taraf Alagar Co. Ltd. This partnership aims to construct a cutting-edge bunker station at Yanbu’s King Fahad Industrial Port, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy.
A testament to the Kingdom’s rapid development, two significant logistics projects were launched with remarkable efficiency. Maersk’s pioneering 225,000 sq. m. logistics park, valued at 1.3 billion riyals, and LogiPoint’s 72,000 sq. m. logistics facility, worth 150 million riyals, signify a commitment to robust infrastructure growth.
Stepping into the realm of sustainability, Mawani initiated measures to decrease the annual carbon footprint by 1,046 tons at Jeddah Islamic Port. This reduction was achieved by optimizing crane activities and truck turnaround times, aligning with the Green Ports Initiative’s target of a 15% energy consumption reduction.
As a beacon of quality control and operational excellence, Mawani conducted an impressive 787 inspection visits to shipping agents and ship chandlers in the first half of the year.
The year also witnessed a cascade of accolades showered upon Mawani, including the Excellence in Corporate Branding award at the ShipTek Awards. Additionally, the Port of the Year and Digital Transformation Award were secured at the esteemed 7th Green Shipping Summit.
In terms of performance, Mawani’s port network expertly handled 4,088,641 TEUs between January and June, marking a significant 15.12% increase from H1 2022’s 3,551,676 TEUs.
Transshipment volumes also exhibited a healthy rise of 12.19% compared to the previous year, reaching 1,560,790 TEUs in H1 2023 from 1,391,221 TEUs. The automobile import sector observed a remarkable 26.08% surge, soaring to 496,949 units from 394,151 units in the previous year. Similarly, food commodities experienced a 9.82% growth, rising from 9,866,753 tons to 10,835,620 tons.
Mawani’s ports welcomed 5,918 vessels in the first half of the year, marking a notable 10.68% YoY increase from 5,347 ships. Passenger traffic surged impressively, reaching 568,933 pax, a 60.83% rise from the 353,758 pax recorded in 2022. The livestock trade segment also witnessed a staggering 95.79% yearly surge, elevating cattle heads from 2,232,987 to 4,372,027 in 2023.
Notably, the first half of the year set a new record for the highest monthly container throughput, with May witnessing the processing of 709,944 TEUs, marking an 18.8% annual growth rate compared to the 597,617 TEUs in the previous year.