Following the announcement by the port authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of a new shipping route to Southeast Asia from King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, trade ties between the two regions are expected to flourish even more.
Mawani, the organisation that oversees the maritime offering, said it will link the port to Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates, Klang in Malaysia, Surabaya and Jakarta in Indonesia, and Nhava Sheva in India.
According to a release, freight and logistics transportation company VASI Transportation Pte Ltd plans to launch a service, called IMS.
This action is consistent with the authority’s objective to strengthen its alliances with significant global transportation companies, assist the marine industry, and promote the growth of the national economy.
Additionally, it facilitates import and export traffic, which is in line with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy’s goal of solidifying the Kingdom’s standing as a transcontinental hub for logistics.
Additionally, it is a major step in strengthening the Dammam port’s role in improving its logistics and maritime transport services.
Regular weekly voyages, with a capacity of up to 1,800 twenty-foot equivalent units, will enable the announced linkages.
Comparably, the King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam handled 235,820 TEUs in February 2024, setting a new record for monthly throughput.
This accomplishment is a result of its sophisticated equipment and extensive operating services, which allow it to handle a wide range of commodities with a capacity of around 105 million tons of cargo and containers.
The port began offering shipping services in October 2023 in an effort to improve ties with seven more international locations.
It was Mawani who introduced the India Gulf Express shipping service, run by the French container carrier CMA CGM.
The new service created a direct link between the port of Dammam and seven significant marine hubs, including the Indian cities of Nhava Sheva, Mundra, and Mangalore.
The hubs also included Umm Qasr in Iraq, Jebel Ali and Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, and Colombo in Sri Lanka.
At the time, the announcement added, “With a capacity surpassing 39,000 containers, the service featured four ships weekly, enhancing trade capacity, competitiveness, and connection of the King Abdulaziz Port.”