Saudi Arabia's ports have witnessed a 14.6% increase in inbound and outbound container traffic during FY 2023 when compared to the year before, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) which issued the kingdom’s Maritime Transport Statistics Publication results for 2023. 

 

The GASTAT data showed that the total inbound and outbound container traffic at Saudi ports had exceeded 5 million TEUs (Twenty-foot equivalent units). 

 

The Inbound container traffic stood at 3.4 million TEUs, while outbound container traffic at 2.2 million TEUs, reported SPA.

 

The figures also show a 33.8% increase in ship traffic at the kingdom's ports in 2023 compared to 2022. The total ship traffic at Saudi ports stood at 19,082. 

 

King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu had the highest ship traffic, 6,538, followed by Jeddah Islamic Port with 4,411 ships and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam with 2,516 ships, stated the GASTAT data which also provides details on cargo volumes, port infrastructure, and crane capacities at the Kingdom's ports.

 

The number of passengers at the Kingdom's ports increased by 11.5% in 2023 compared to 2022, exceeding 1 million passengers, stated the report. 

 

Jazan Port recorded the highest number of arriving and departing passengers: 484,598, it added.-TradeArabia News Service