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.