Jeddah Islamic Port Set for Major Growth with $171M Investment
RIYADH — Cargo-handling capacity at Jeddah Islamic Port is set to grow after Saudi Arabia approved a SR641 million ($171 million) investment to strengthen supply chains and support trade growth.
The Saudi Ports Authority, known as Mawani, will carry out the upgrades in partnership with Red Sea Gateway Terminal and DP World. The projects include three ship-to-shore cranes, 27 rubber-tyred gantry cranes, 91 terminal trucks, and seven ground-handling units. The container terminal yard will expand by 200,000 square meters, while cold storage capacity will rise from eight rooms to 75 and reefer plug points will double from 4,800 to 9,000.
Abdullah Al-Munif, Mawani’s senior vice president of commercial business, said the expansion strengthens Saudi Arabia’s broader logistics ecosystem. “For importers, this means greater supply chain reliability and faster cargo movement. For exporters, particularly those handling refrigerated cargo, it provides expanded capacity and stronger access to international markets,” he told Arab News.
The investment comes as the port handles roughly 20,000 containers daily and accommodates up to 14 vessels at once, operating at about 69 percent occupancy. Mawani said it is expanding capacity ahead of demand rather than reacting to rising volumes, a strategy it described as essential for maintaining resilient supply chains.
Located on one of the busiest East-West maritime routes, Jeddah Islamic Port serves as Saudi Arabia’s principal Red Sea gateway, connecting markets across Asia, Europe, and Africa. The project aligns with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Vision 2030 and follows a recent SR2 billion terminal concession at Jubail Commercial Port.
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