King Abdullah Port has landed the 98th spot among the world’s biggest container ports for 2016, up from 104th the previous year, according to Alphaliner, a global maritime data originator.
Alphaliner’s report ranks ports based on capacity, measured by units of standard 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers.
According to the report, King Abdullah Port had raised its handling capacity from 1.3 million TEU per year in 2015 to 1.4 million in 2016, an increase of 8 percent.
The report studied all ports with a capacity of 10,000 TEU per year or more, which amounted to just over 600.
“We are proud to have attained such a ranking, which is yet another achievement for the Kingdom,” said Abdullah Hameedadin, managing director of the Ports Development Company, owner and developer of King Abdullah Port.
“It also affirms the Kingdom’s status as a leader of the global maritime industry. This boost in inbound and outbound freight at Saudi ports is not only in line with the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision, but also an addendum to another achievement of 2016 — King Abdullah Port was named the world’s fastest-growing port.”
Hameedadin praised the roles of Saudi Customs, the Border Guard, and the Economic Cities Authority, along with all other stakeholders among the government agencies and private firms that operate at the port for their support that helped the port achieve such feats in such a short period of time, integrating itself into the Saudi seaport infrastructure and helping to propel the national economy.
“King Abdullah Port is instrumental in boosting the national economy and fostering growth, thanks to its role in creating business and new jobs,” said Hameedadin.
“Our entry into the world’s top 100 container ports is a manifestation of our commitment to our goals, especially given the port’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and strategic location on the eastern coast of the Red Sea, which guarantees access to many markets and destinations for imports and exports in the Kingdom.”
King Abdullah Port announced receiving 729 vessels in 2016 compared to 637 vessels in 2015.
With completion of the infrastructure works for Berth 5 and Berth 6, King Abdullah Port’s annual capacity increases to 4 million TEU after making preparations for the two new berths to begin operations in 2017, providing greater competitiveness and further access to the most important trade capitals in the region and the world.

Source: Arab News