RIYADH: Duba Port, the primary seaport of entry to the northwest of the Kingdom, has been renamed as Port of NEOM.
In order to transform local ports into globally competitive logistics hubs, the management of Duba Port was transferred from the Saudi Ports Authority to NEOM in 2022.
Since the transfer, the port’s capabilities have been expanded to meet the rising volume of cargo coming into NEOM, including container and general cargo handling, a statement said.
“The Port of NEOM will be pivotal to the continued commercial competitiveness, economic diversification, and maritime trade ambitions of the Kingdom,” said NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr.
He added: “Our vision is to build one of the world’s most technologically advanced, efficient, and sustainable ports with the first fully integrated and automated supply chain and logistics network, and this first phase of development is a step toward realizing that.”
Al-Nasr further noted that investments worth SR7.5 billion ($2 billion) have been made in the port till now, and its first advanced terminal will be opened in 2025.
“The Port of NEOM will be a critical enabler to the overall build, operations, and economic ambitions of NEOM — from the import of goods and materials during the development phase and as a new global port serving the region. This is particularly important as development accelerates and businesses across NEOM come on-stream,” said Sean Kelly, managing director at the Port of NEOM.
Upon opening, the port will function at net-zero levels by using 100 percent renewable energy for its operations.
Saudi Arabia’s Duba renamed ‘Port of NEOM’
https://arab.news/p72zs
Saudi Arabia’s Duba renamed ‘Port of NEOM’
Saudi e-commerce via mada cards hits record $8.18bn in October
RIYADH: E-commerce spending in Saudi Arabia via mada cards surged to a record monthly high in October, exceeding SR30.7 billion ($8.18 billion).
The increase marked a 68 percent year-on-year rise, or about SR12.4 billion more than the SR18.3 billion recorded in October 2024, according to the statistical bulletin of the Saudi Central Bank, known as SAMA.
E-commerce sales in the third quarter of 2025 reached SR88.3 billion, up 15.2 percent from the previous quarter, an increase of around SR11.6 billion from SR76.6 billion in the second quarter.
On a month-on-month basis, e-commerce sales in October rose 6 percent, gaining roughly SR1.6 billion from September’s total of SR29.1 billion.
From January to October, mada data showed e-commerce sales climbed 47.3 percent, rising by about SR9.9 billion from the SR20.9 billion recorded in January.
The series tracks e-commerce transactions conducted via mada cards, including online purchases, in-app payments and e-wallet checkouts, while excluding transactions processed through credit card networks.
