Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) handled record tons of volume at the Kingdom’s various ports from Jan-Aug this year.
Against the 187 million tons during the Jan-Aug period in 2021, Mawani said Saudi ports handled more than 212 million tons this year, an increase of 13.59 percent.
Statistics during this period show that general cargo volumes were up 8.93 percent to reach 5,722,622 tons, whereas dry bulk cargo reached 32,723,465 tons with 7.16 percent increase rate.
Similarly, liquid bulk cargo reached 120,534,334 tons with 24.47 percent increase rate.
Saudi ports, which handle 90 percent of the Kingdom’s exports and 70 percent of its imports, received 538,265 cars between January and August, 16.08 percent higher than last year’s count of 463,704 cars. Passenger traffic also climbed up during the same period by 42.85 percent to reach 610,060 passengers, compared to 427,075 passengers recorded in 2021.
Livestock witnessed a 5.42 percent jump in volumes to reach 2,997,040 heads compared to 2,843,048 heads during 2021, as a result of optimized productivity and performance as well as enhanced operational and logistical capabilities of Saudi ports.
In a statement, Mawani said these figures reflect a “tremendous transformation in Saudi ports’ performance, as they are an outcome of the initiatives to develop the maritime sector which aim to create solutions, operating models, and various frameworks to stimulate growth and enable investment, and extending the exemption period for general cargo to 21 days, as well as enhancing the operational efficiency by restructuring procedures and implementing the latest technology”.