RIYADH: Seaports in Saudi Arabia recorded a 16.88 percent increase in the number of containers handled in February compared to the same period last year, official data showed.
The Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, disclosed that docks in the Kingdom received 226,672 standard containers in February 2024, marking an increase from 193,937 in the corresponding month of 2023.
Furthermore, the maritime facilities experienced a 1.44 percent uptick in the volume of handled tonnage, reaching 23.38 million tonnes, in contrast to 23.04 million tonnes recorded in February 2023.
“This reflects the scale of efforts made to develop port infrastructure and provide the highest levels of logistics services,” Mawani stated in a statement.
The Kingdom’s general cargo volumes reached 830,641 tonnes, solid bulk cargo reached 3.62 million tonnes, and liquid bulk cargo reached 12.58 million tonnes.
Furthermore, the harbors recorded a discharge rate of 899,293 head of livestock, indicating a 166.67 percent increase compared to the 337,231 recorded during the corresponding period in 2023.
Meanwhile, maritime traffic witnessed a 1.57 percent increase, totaling 907 ships compared to 893 in 2023.
However, the number of passengers decreased by 32.86 percent to 67,754, compared to the 100,907 recorded last year.
Similarly, the number of vehicles decreased by 11.12 percent to 72,448 compared to 81,510 in 2023.
The count of transshipment containers handled by the ports in the Kingdom stood at 152,868 in February 2024, marking a decline of 34.88 percent compared to February 2023.
Additionally, the number of outgoing containers decreased by 6.29 percent to 181,944 compared to 194,158 last year.
King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam achieved a record-breaking monthly handling figure, with 235,820 containers in February 2024.
This aligns with the targets of the national strategy for transportation and logistics services, solidifying the Kingdom’s position as a global logistics hub and a meeting point of the three continents, according to the Authority.
According to a report from the UN Conference on Trade and Development, Mawani climbed from 76.16 points in the second quarter to 77.66 points in the third quarter of last year, affirming the Kingdom’s progress in the maritime sector.
In 2023, Saudi Arabia climbed 17 global ranks in the Logistics Performance Index issued by the World Bank to reach the 38th spot globally.
