Saudi Ports Achieve 2% Container Throughput Growth in January 2026
Saudi Arabia’s ports, managed by the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), handled 738,111 TEUs in January 2026, reflecting a 2% year-on-year increase from 723,571 TEUs the previous year.
Transshipment volumes surged 22.44% to 184,020 TEUs, while imports fell 3.23% to 284,380 TEUs and exports dipped 3.5% to 269,710 TEUs, signaling robust regional hub activity.
Passenger traffic jumped 42.3% to 143,600, vehicle handling rose 3.3% to 109,100, and livestock imports grew 49.86% to 886,908 heads.
Vessel calls slightly declined 1.75% to 1,121 ships, with total cargo tonnage at 19.2 million tons, down 3% amid shifts in bulk volumes.
This growth at key ports like Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdullah Port strengthens Gulf-India maritime corridors, vital for Mumbai and Chennai exporters shipping textiles, rice, and chemicals to Saudi markets.
The uptick supports Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy, enhancing supply chain reliability for bilateral trade exceeding $50 billion annually.
