RIYADH: Ocean Network Express has added an RC2 shipping service to Jeddah Islamic Port, connecting the Saudi gateway with ports in China, Jordan and Egypt as the Kingdom seeks to expand maritime links.
The service links Jeddah with Shanghai, Ningbo and Nansha in China, Aqaba in Jordan and Sokhna in Egypt, with capacity of up to 1,643 twenty-foot equivalent units, according to Saudi Ports Authority, known as Mawani.
The Kingdom is investing in port capacity and connectivity as it seeks to strengthen its position as a global logistics hub. The new service further enhances Jeddah Islamic Port’s international connectivity as Saudi Arabia expands its maritime and logistics infrastructure under Vision 2030.
“The addition of the new service contributes to strengthening the Kingdom’s presence on the international maritime transport map, confirming the readiness of Jeddah Islamic Port’s advanced infrastructure and its ability to accommodate more shipping services, owing to its operational efficiency and high cargo-handling levels,” Mawani said.
Terminal expansion
In a separate development, Saudi terminal operator Red Sea Gateway Terminal and French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM signed definitive agreements to jointly develop and operate Terminal 4 at Jeddah Islamic Port.
The partners will make an initial investment of SR1.6 billion ($434 million) in the terminal, which will add up to 2.6 million TEUs of annual container-handling capacity as part of RSGT’s existing concession.
The development will include deep-water berths designed to accommodate the world’s largest container vessels, along with 10 new ship-to-shore cranes, according to RSGT. The terminal will be built adjacent to RSGT’s existing complex and operated as a dedicated container facility under the RSGT-CMA CGM partnership.
The agreement was signed in Paris during the French-Saudi Investment Roundtable, in the presence of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Port infrastructure
Jeddah Islamic Port covers 12.5 sq. km and has 62 berths and three terminals, according to Mawani’s logistics-sector guide. The port has a handling capacity of 130 million tonnes and 10.2 million TEUs, the guide says.
Mawani’s guide identifies the port’s proximity to the Al-Khumrah Logistics Zone and major industrial areas, as well as its location along major global maritime trade routes, as strategic advantages. It also lists projects to deepen and expand approach channels and turning basins and develop new marine berths.
Jeddah Islamic Port’s position on the Red Sea places it along maritime routes connecting Asia, Europe and Africa. Mawani said expanding shipping services at the facility was intended to increase its links with international markets and support the Kingdom’s logistics-sector targets.
