According to the latest data released by Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), the container throughput in April witnessed a substantial annual increase of 13.34%. The volume surged from 601,429 TEUs to 681,663 TEUs during the month. The statistics also revealed a significant rise of 16.9% in exported volumes, reaching 208,738 TEUs compared to 178,450 TEUs in the previous year.
Moreover, the container data indicated a notable 16.97% increase in exported volumes, with 208,738 TEUs in April, as compared to 178,450 TEUs in the same period the previous year. On the other hand, imports experienced a modest growth of 3.12%, rising to 208,080 TEUs from 201,784 TEUs this year. Transshipments also recorded a significant boost of 19.73%, reaching 264,845 TEUs in monthly quantity compared to 221,195 TEUs in April 2022.
In terms of cargo, Mawani reported a 6.63% decline in overall cargo numbers across its ports. The total cargo handled in April amounted to approximately 24,965,999 tonnes, compared to 26,737,416 tonnes during the same period the previous year. The cargo count included 543,496 tonnes of general cargo, 4,135,552 tonnes of dry bulk cargo, and 13,026,227 tonnes of liquid bulk cargo, according to TradeArabia.
Trade of food commodities experienced a slight decline of 1.26%, with volumes falling from 1,533,118 tons in 2022 to 1,513,729 tons in 2023. However, there was a positive growth in the livestock sector, with a 2.63% increase from 446,539 to 458,280 cattle heads.
In terms of automobile transportation, Mawani’s ports saw a significant surge in April 2023, with an estimated 91,083 vehicles passing through their hubs. This marked a substantial increase of 52.8% compared to the 2022 figure of 59,608 vehicles.
The most notable year-on-year growth was observed in passenger traffic, which experienced an impressive leap of 122.64%. The number of passengers soared from 38,706 in the previous year to 86,175 in April 2023, according to Mawani’s statement.
Furthermore, the ports in the Kingdom accommodated a total of 983 vessels at their berths in April, showing a marginal increase of 3.69% compared to the previous year’s figure of 948 vessels.
The Saudi maritime sector is actively implementing the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), aiming to establish a world-class logistics platform. By deploying advanced technologies, the sector is driving the Kingdom’s progress towards new horizons and leading the global efforts towards sustainability.
