JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s seaports reported an 18.25 percent increase in exported containers for February compared to the same period last year, signaling a growing demand for the Kingdom’s products.
According to the Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, a total of 215,491 twenty-foot equivalent units were exported in February 2025, up from 182,229 TEUs in February 2024.
In contrast, the number of imported containers saw a decline of 4.95 percent, totaling 215,741 TEUs, down from 226,968 TEUs in the previous year.
The overall number of containers processed in Saudi seaports amounted to 552,490 TEUs, showing a slight decrease of 1.8 percent from 562,644 TEUs in 2024. Transshipment containers also dropped by 21.03 percent, totaling 112,193 TEUs, compared to 142,071 TEUs in February 2024.
These trends align with Mawani’s objective to foster a sustainable and robust maritime sector that drives both trade and economic growth in the Kingdom.
The developments further support the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub, linking three continents, in line with the nation’s Vision 2030.
The surge in non-oil exports is a clear indication of Saudi Arabia’s successful economic diversification efforts, as the Kingdom seeks to reduce its reliance on oil revenues.
Mawani also reported that the total tonnage handled by Saudi seaports in February was 22,540,434 tonnes, reflecting a 3.66 percent decline from 23,397,237 tonnes during the same period last year.
The breakdown includes 983,027 tonnes of general cargo, 4,027,930 tonnes of bulk solid cargo, and 11,677,568 tonnes of bulk liquid cargo. The ports also received 698,035 heads of livestock, which marks a 22.38 percent decrease compared to 899,293 heads in February 2024.
On a positive note, maritime traffic saw a modest increase of 0.33 percent, with 913 vessels arriving at the ports, compared to 910 vessels in the same period last year.
Passenger traffic surged by 37.85 percent, reaching 93,400 passengers, up from 67,754 the previous year. The number of vehicles handled also rose by 3.43 percent, reaching 78,482 vehicles compared to 75,877 vehicles in February 2024.
In a broader view, Mawani reported a 14.44 percent increase in the total number of containers handled from January to February 2025, reaching 1,270,776 TEUs, compared to 1,110,440 TEUs in the same period last year.
A major step in enhancing Saudi Arabia’s global trade position is the launch of the state-of-the-art South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port. This initiative, part of DP World’s SR3 billion ($800 million) expansion program, is aimed at upgrading the terminal and reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s status as a key player in international trade.
In addition to this, several key projects have been unveiled, including agreements to establish eight new logistics parks and hubs at Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. These developments, backed by an estimated SR2.9 billion in private sector investment, are poised to further strengthen the Kingdom's logistics infrastructure.
