Saudi Ports Witness Growth in Cargo Handling
In a bustling month for Saudi ports, official data revealed a 4.29 percent year-on-year increase in the volume of tonnes handled in November. The Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, reported that the Kingdom’s ports processed 24.73 million tonnes of cargo, showcasing a significant uptick from 23.74 million tonnes in November 2023.
Container Traffic Surges
The data also highlighted remarkable growth in container traffic, with the number of exported containers soaring by 23 percent to 261,030 containers. Similarly, the number of imported containers rose by 15.62 percent, reaching 259,355 containers during the same period.
Saudi Arabia’s Rising Profile as a Global Logistics Hub
These developments solidify Saudi Arabia’s standing as a global logistics hub, with the Kingdom now ranking 15th in the world for container handling in 2024, according to Lloyd’s List, a renowned UK-based maritime journal.
Challenges in Container Throughput
Despite the overall growth, the total number of handled containers experienced a slight decline, dropping by 9.14 percent to 670,185 containers. Transshipment volumes also witnessed a significant decrease of 49.43 percent year on year, with only 138,660 containers transshipped in November.
Diverse Cargo Types Handled
Among the various cargo types, general cargo totaled 1.13 million tonnes, solid bulk cargo amounted to 3.59 million tonnes, and liquid bulk cargo saw the highest volume at 13.05 million tonnes.
Changes in Livestock and Navigational Traffic
In terms of livestock, Saudi ports received 716,541 heads of cattle in November, marking a 4.98 percent decline compared to the same period last year. Navigational traffic also saw a decrease of 6.96 percent, with 949 vessels calling at Saudi ports, and a 15.78 percent drop in the number of passengers arriving by sea, with 66,422 passengers recorded.
Increase in Car Imports
On a positive note, the number of cars imported through Saudi ports witnessed an 11.82 percent increase, totaling 99,760 cars during the month compared to 89,269 cars in November 2023.