Dammam, March 13, 2024, In February of this year, ports under the supervision of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) experienced a notable surge in imported containers, marking a significant 16.88% increase to reach 266,672 TEUs, compared to 193,937 TEUs in February 2023. Additionally, cargo throughput tonnage saw a modest uptick of 1.44%, handling 23,381,835 tons compared to 23,049,373 tons during the same period last year.
This growth is a testament to the concerted efforts directed towards enhancing port infrastructure and ensuring the delivery of top-tier logistical services. A closer look at cargo reveals 830,641 tons of general cargo, 3,626,347 tons of solid bulk cargo, and 12,586,815 tons of liquid bulk cargo. Notably, there was a remarkable 166.67% increase in the unloading of cattle heads, with 899,293 heads unloaded compared to 337,231 in February 2023.
Maritime traffic saw a slight uptick of 1.57%, with 907 ships docking at ports compared to 893 ships last year. However, the number of passengers witnessed a decline of 32.86%, totaling 67,754 passengers compared to 100,907 passengers in the previous year. Similarly, the number of cars decreased by 11.12%, totaling 72,448 cars compared to 81,510 cars in February 2023.
Despite these fluctuations, handled containers experienced a slight decrease of 9.85%, reaching 561,484 TEUs compared to 622,856 TEUs last year. Container transshipment also decreased by 34.88% to reach 152,868 TEUs compared to 234,762 TEUs in February 2023. Exported containers also saw a dip of 6.29%, totaling 181,944 TEUs compared to 194,158 TEUs last year.
King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam notably achieved a historic milestone, handling 235,820 TEUs, aligning with the objectives outlined in the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) aimed at solidifying the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub connecting three continents.
