Top 8: Shipping Ports in Saudi Arabia
Which
of the Kingdom's maritime hubs have handled the most cargo?
Saudi
Ports Authority (SPA) has published its full-year statistics for 2009, with
approximately 142.30 million tonnes of cargo being handled across the Kingdom’s
main ports last year, including Jeddah Islamic Port, King Fahad Industrial Port
in Jubail, King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu, King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam
and Jizan Port. The figures mark a decrease of 8.82% over the previous year’s
volumes, with imports falling by 17.11% and exports falling by 3.07%.
LogisticsMiddleEast.com takes a look at the total throughput from each
of the main ports, taking into account bulk cargo (solid and liquid), general
cargo, containers (in tonnes), Ro-Ro and vehicles, and livestock.
8. Dhiba Port
Dhiba
Port (occasionally spelt Diba Port) is strategically located at the north end
of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. A natural harbour protected on all three sides
by hills, it has vast hinterland on the inland frontier up to the Northeast
coast of Saudi Arabia and extends up to the Mediterranean Sea on the maritime
front. It is nearest Saudi’s port to the Suez Canal and other Egyptian ports.
The distance between Dhiba Port and Suez Canal is 253 nautical miles.
The Vessel takes approximately 17 Hours, with average speed 12kts. to reach
Suez Canal from Dhiba port.
Total tonnage in 2009: 510,153 (compared to 441,143 in 2008)
7. Jizan Port
Jizan Port is situated on the southern Red Sea coast and is very close
to the main east/west sea-trade routes to Europe, the Far East and Arabian
Gulf. A nearby airport offers a shuttle service to the main international
airports in the Kingdom and Jizan also has excellent road access to the
hinterland container depots, allowing it to serve the whole of the Arabian
Peninsula's southeast.
Jizan Port is a modern, well-equipped, deep-water port with a highly
skilled work force ensuring a quick efficient turn around of vessels at every
opportunity.
Total tonnage in 2009: 839,447 (compared to 880,518 in 2008)
6. Yanbu Commercial Port
Yanbu Commercial Port is the nearest major Saudi seaport to Europe and
North America and is the focal point of the most rapidly growing area on the
Red Sea. Traditionally it has served as the nearest gateway for seaborne
pilgrims bound for the holy city of Madinah. Port expansion in 1979 increased
the capacity to nine berths with modern facilities and equipment. It can handle
in excess of 3 million tonnes of cargo per year.
Total tonnage in 2009: 1,499,089 (compared to 1,736,500 in 2008)
5. Jubail Commercial Port
Jubail Commercial Port is considered a vital economic facility due to
its effective role in supporting the exports and imports in the eastern
province of Saudi Arabia. As the hub is characterised by its proximity to mass
production centres, Saudi Ports Authority believes this will help in reducing
the costs of importing and exporting commodities, while facilitating the
transportation of exports to international markets. This port played an
effective role in reducing the burden shouldered by king Abdulaziz port in
Dammam and provided job opportunities for a large number of citizens.
Total tonnage in 2009: 3,175,216 (compared to 4,145,277 in 2008)
4. King Abdul Aziz Port, Dammam
King Abdul Aziz Port is the main gateway through which cargo from all
over the world enters the Eastern and Central Provinces of the Kingdom. It is
strategically placed to service the requirements of the oil industry, the
continuous development of Riyadh, the capital, and the major provincial cities
in the Eastern and Central Provinces.
The Port is fully self-sufficient with its own administration offices,
mechanical and marine workshops, electrical, telephone and marine
communications networks and water refinery. It has its own clinic, fire
department and a large housing complex for port employees, with mosques and a
supermarket.
There is also a busy railway to Riyadh Dry Port and a highway system
connecting Dammam Port with the rest of the Kingdom and adjacent Gulf States.
Total tonnage in 2009: 19,270,315 (compared to 23,596,054 in 2008)
King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu lies on the Red Sea Coast some 300km
north of Jeddah Islamic Port and is considered the largest port for loading
crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals in the Red Sea. Located in the
middle of the line between Europe and America through Suez Canal and the Far
East through Bab Elmandeb, the port was developed to serve the nearby
industrial complex, especially with the export of construction material and
equipment.
Total tonnage in 2009: 32,987,904 (compared to 35,880,397 in 2008)
Jeddah Islamic Port has an excellent location in the middle of the
international shipping route between east and west. The port lies on the Red
Sea coast and remains the kingdom’s principal port serving the holy cities of
Makkah and Madinah. The port serves the commercial centres through which 59% of
the kingdom’s imports by sea are being handled. The importance of Jeddah
Islamic Port increased when the Kingdom was developing into a modern and
civilized country.
Total tonnage in 2009: 40,934,961 (compared to 45,721,264 in 2008)
Saudi Arabia’s transformation from a raw material exporter to a gas/oil
industrial producer led to the construction of King Fahd Industrial Port in
Jubail in 1974. Being located adjacent to Jubail Industrial City, the port was
designed for importing raw materials required by local industries, also for the
export of the industrial products such as petrochemicals, refined petroleum
products, chemical fertilizers and sulphur.
Total tonnage in 2009: 43,089,768 (compared to 42,461,203 in 2008)
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