The Saudi Ports Authority, known as Mawani, has recently observed a significant uptick in its cargo handling operations. In the month of July, there was a 9.11% increase in cargo volume, which equated to 27,382,403 tons, surpassing the previous year’s figure of 25,096,888 tons.
An analysis of Mawani’s data reveals that the influx of inbound containers escalated by 15.72%, reaching 271,465, as opposed to 234,592 containers during the same time frame in the previous year. In contrast, outbound containers experienced a 2.50% decrease, numbering 243,758, which was down from 250,003 containers compared to last year.
The breakdown of cargo types shows that general cargo reached 701,606 tons, solid bulk cargo accounted for 4,482,634 tons, and liquid bulk cargo totaled 15,349,511 tons. Additionally, the ports received a staggering 127.60% increase in livestock, with 506,016 heads recorded, up from 222,327 in the year prior.
Despite the growth in some areas, the total number of handled containers fell by 14.40% to 645,019, from 753,496 containers the previous year. Transshipment containers saw a significant 51.73% reduction, down to 129,797 from 268,901 containers. Maritime traffic also saw a downturn, with an 11.24% decline to 908 ships from 1,023 ships in 2023, and passenger numbers decreased by 31.80%, to 52,191 from 76,532. Similarly, vehicle traffic decreased by 8.64%, with 90,471 vehicles compared to 99,026 in the preceding year.
In a previous report, Mawani documented a 9.16% rise in cargo handling volumes for the month of June 2024, totaling 27,640,795 tons. Outbound containers in that period saw a 7.78% increase, with inbound containers also on the rise by 9.85%. These figures align with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy’s goal to establish the Kingdom as a leading global logistics center.