Dubai, UAE — Saudi ports handled 7.76 percent more containers in Feb 2023, compared to the same period last year, due to expansion and development works that increased container handling capacities and enhanced operational efficiency, the kingdom’s General Authority of Ports (Mawani) said Monday.
The ports handled 622,837 TEUs in Feb 2023, compared to 577,993 TEUs in Feb 2022. The number of standard containers exported during Feb 2023 increased by 12.75 percent to reach 194,157 containers compared to 172,208 in Feb 2022, SPA reported.
Incoming containers increased by 5.95 percent to reach 193,937 containers compared to 183,051 containers in Feb 2022.
During February 2023, transshipment operations rose by 5.39 percent to reach 234,743, compared to 222,734 containers in Feb 2022.
Solid bulk cargo volumes reached 3,879,366 tons, an increase of 2.90 percent compared to Feb 2022, which recorded 3,770,196 tons, while liquid bulk cargo volumes decreased by 13.16 percent to reach 11,772,089 tons, compared to 13,556,831 tons in 2022, and general cargo recorded an increase of 77.20 percent to reach 639,843 tons compared to 361,086 tons in the same period of 2022.
The total tons of foodstuffs during Feb 2023 recorded a decrease of 2.18 percent and handled 1,646,900 tons of foodstuffs compared to 1,683,595 tons in the corresponding month of 2022, and the ports witnessed the unloading of 337,231 head of cattle, an increase of 218.37 percent compared to Feb 2022, which recorded 105,923 head of cattle to meet the needs of the local market.
The month of Feb 2023 also recorded the import of 81,600 cars, an increase of 33.99 percent compared to 60,898 cars in Feb 2022, and the navigational movement witnessed an increase of 4.87 percent, recording 883 ships compared to 842 in Feb 2022.
Saudi ports received 100,903 passengers, an increase of 61.16 percent over the corresponding month in 2022, which recorded 62,611 passengers.