Saudi Port Investments Surpass SR5.5 Billion Amid Regional Crisis

Investment in Saudi Arabia’s ports has exceeded SR5.5 billion ($1.46 billion) during the Middle East regional crisis, as the Kingdom works to expand capacity, improve operations and strengthen its logistics infrastructure, the head of the Saudi Ports Authority, Mawani, said.

Suliman bin Khalid Al-Mazroua, president of Mawani, said the investment reflected continued growth in the Kingdom’s maritime and logistics sector. He made the comments on the sidelines of the Saudi Industry Forum 2026 in Jeddah, according to Al-Eqtisadiah.

Jeddah Islamic Port and other ports along the western coast have emerged as important logistics centres for Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf since the start of the crisis. The increase in activity has been marked by a sharp rise in truck movements and vessel calls, prompting investments aimed at handling higher volumes.

Daily truck entries at Jeddah Islamic Port have increased from between 2,000 and 2,500 before the crisis to more than 10,000, Al-Mazroua said. The number of vessels arriving at the port has also increased.

More than 34 additional vessels operated by major international shipping companies, including Maersk and MSC, are now calling at Jeddah Port, according to the Mawani chief. The port has become an important supply point for markets in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

The port has introduced 16 initiatives to improve operational readiness, working with government and customs agencies. More than SR640 million was invested over three months to increase its ability to receive and process containers arriving by land and sea.

Al-Mazroua said Jeddah Islamic Port has developed into one of the leading facilities for imports and exports in the Middle East. He said the integration of ports along the western coast has helped Saudi Arabia respond to changes in global supply chains.

The wider western port network has been organised around specialised roles. Yanbu Port supports the Kingdom’s food security system, while King Abdullah Port contributes to broader logistics activity. NEOM Port also supports traffic and services linked to Egypt.

The increased activity has translated into higher cargo volumes. Transshipment container traffic exceeded 370,000 units over five months, while general and bulk cargo volumes surpassed 1 million units.

Al-Mazroua expects port activity to increase further by the end of the year as demand for Saudi logistics services remains strong.

He said the next phase of development would focus on attracting additional investment, establishing special economic zones and creating more efficient logistics areas at public ports on both the eastern and western coasts.

The expansion forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to strengthen its position as a regional logistics centre and improve the resilience of supply chains amid disruptions affecting trade routes across the Middle East.