Container handling rises 12% to 8.4M TEUs in 2023: MAWANI

Jeddah Islamic Port

The ports operated by the Saudi Ports Authority (MAWAI) reported an increase of 12.07% in the number of containers handled in 2023, reaching 8.44 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), compared to 7.53 million TEUs in 2022.

Meanwhile, outbound containers at the authority’s ports rose by 15.56% to 2.59 million TEUs, compared to 2.24 million TEUs in 2022. Inbound containers rose 12.68% to 2.62 million TEUs from 2.32 million TEUs a year earlier.

The tonnage handled fell 5.06% year-on-year to 300.54 million tons in 2023, from 316.57 million tons in 2022, as the volumes of general cargo reached 7.62 million tons, dry bulk cargo 49.06 million tons, and liquid bulk cargo 152.58 million tons.

The number of vehicles arriving through the authority’s ports increased by 40.54% YoY, reaching 2.48 million in 2023, compared to 1.77 million in 2022.

Meanwhile, the number of arriving and departing passengers rose 41.30% to 1.01 million in 2023 from 713,960 passengers in 2022. Vessel traffic was up 7.16% YoY to 12,130 in 2023, compared to 11,320 vessels in 2022.

MAWANI saw the highest monthly number of container handlings in the history of its ports, as the number of containers handled in May 2023 rose by 18.80%.

In October 2023, Jeddah Islamic Port handled the most monthly TEUs in its history, totaling 511,350. King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam reached a new record in July 2023, handling 211,200 TEUs.

The following table shows the performance of Saudi ports operated by MAWAI in 2023:

Meanwhile, the Kingdom’s total ports recorded a 9.01% increase in the number of containers handled annually for the year 2023, reaching 11.38 million containers, compared to 10.44 million containers in 2022.

Outbound containers in the Kingdom’s total ports rose by 13.88% to reach 2.74 million in 2023, compared to 2.41 million a year earlier. Inbound containers rose 10.51% to 2.74 million, compared to 2.48 million in 2022. Meanwhile, transshipment containers increased by 6.23% to 5.9 million in 2023, from 5.55 million in 2022.

The following table shows the performance of Saudi ports in 2023: