The total tonnage handled in all Saudi Ports during the first 9 months of 2009 reached around 105.19 million tons, with an overall decrease of 9.09 percent over the same period of the previous year (imports decreased by 17.98 percent, exports decreased by 2.94 percent). The total cargo handled in all 8 Saudi ports (Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdul Aziz Port, Dammam; King Fahad Industrial Port, Yanbu; Yanbu Commercial Port; King Fahd Industrial Port, Jubail; Jubail Commercial Port, Jizan Port and Dhiba Port amounted to 105,190,611 tons, showing a decrease of 9.09 percent compared to 114, 750, 202 tons in the same period of 2008. The latest Saudi Port statistics showed that the total cargo handled (discharged/loaded) in the same period amounted to 43,034,879 tons of commodities-discharged showing a 17.98 percentage decline compared to 50,773,719 commodities-discharged during the same period in 2008 while the total commodities-loaded amounted to 62,150,732 tons showing a drop of 2.94 percent compared to 63,976483 tons in 2008. In term of total container volume in TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) it shows a decline of 5.67 per cent, accounting for 3,270,082 tons compared to 3,455,444 tons of last year statistics. The Transshipment Containers (in TEU) also declined by 27.07 percent, accounting for 873,225 containers compared to 1,109,621 containers in 2008. The number of passengers through Jeddah Islamic port; Yanbu Commercial Port and Dhiba Port totaled 847,661 passengers at the end of the third quarter 2009, showing a decline of 17.54 percent compared to 996,313 passengers in the same period of 2008. Referring to Commodity Discharged Details during the period under review, it said the cargo discharged totaled 43,034,879 tons compared to 50,773,719 tons in the same period in 2008, showing a decline of 17.98 per cent. (The commodities included construction, food & foodstuffs, vehicles, consumer goods and other cargo discharged items.) It said total cargo loaded accounted for 62,150,732 tons compared to 63,976,483, registering a decrease of 2.94 percent. (The commodity-loaded included refined products, liquefied gas, petrochemicals, food & foodstuffs, industrial products, recycling material, empty containers & chassis, vehicles, and other cargo loaded items.
