RIYADH — Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI) signed Wednesday a one-year commercial agreement with the leading global liner shipping company Hapag-Lloyd.

The agreement is the first commercial agreement aiming at increasing the number of containers in Saudi ports, as it will contribute to increasing the total number of transshipments in Jeddah Islamic Port.

MAWANI aims through this agreement to enhance the role of Jeddah Islamic Port as a link between the world’s three continents, making it a global logistics hub.

The agreement will contribute to promoting the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a leading hub for logistic services. It also represents the confidence of international shipping lines in the operational capability of the Saudi ports.

The Saudi ports currently acquire approximately 20% of the transshipment market in the region, as well as 80% of the total transshipment market in the Red Sea.

They also target to acquire more than 50% of the transshipment market by the end of 2030, consolidating the Kingdom’s strategic position as a global logistics hub, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, being represented in the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP). — SPA