Saudi ports have played a significant part in boosting the competitiveness of the Kingdom's economy, providing an array of growth catalysts in the quest towards promoting the maritime sector, and fulfilling the demands of national development despite the challenges which faced global trade and the logistics industry, therefore strengthening the shipping networks which connect the Kingdom to the East and West while increasing the overall throughput volumes. Mawani has revealed a record-breaking performance by Saudi ports during the past eight months of 2022, handling 212,436,326 tons with a 13.59% increase rate compared to 187,026,390 tons recorded the previous year. Statistics during this period show that general cargo volumes were up 8.93% to reach 5,722,622 tons, whereas dry bulk cargo reached 32,723,465 tons with 7.16% increase rate. Similarly, liquid bulk cargo reached 120,534,334 tons with a 24.47% increase rate. Saudi ports, which handle 90% of the Kingdom's exports and 70% of its imports, received 538,265 cars between January and August, 16.08% higher than last year's count of 463,704 cars. Passenger traffic also climbed up during the same period by 42.85% to reach 610,060 passengers, compared to 427,075 passengers recorded in 2021. Livestock witnessed a 5.42% jump in volumes to reach 2,997,040 heads compared to 2,843,048 heads during 2021, as a result of optimized productivity and performance as well as enhanced operational and logistical capabilities of Saudi ports. These remarkable figures reflect a tremendous transformation in Saudi ports' performance, as they are an outcome of the initiatives to develop the maritime sector which aim to create solutions, operating models, and various frameworks to stimulate growth and enable investment, and extending the exemption period for general cargo to 21 days, as well as enhancing the operational efficiency by restructuring procedures and implementing the latest technology. The operational growth also demonstrates the adaptability of Mawani's strategies with global changes, in addition to its capability to confront challenges and strike partnerships with the private sector in line with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub that connects three major continents.
