RIYADH: King Abdullah Port in Saudi Arabia sees a 3.25 per cent increase in container throughput in 2022, cementing its place among the fastest growing ports in the world.

“We are pleased that King Abdullah Port reported a positive performance in 2022, despite difficulties in international trade brought on by the weak global economy.

According to Jay New, the port's CEO, this achievement is testimony to the port's strong business model, its exceptional capabilities and offerings, and its important role in Saudi Arabia's logistics and maritime industries.

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The port had a successful year in 2022, and in April, Alphaliner, a leader in future analysis of maritime transport data, port capabilities and vessels, recognized it as the "second fastest growing port in the world".

The port has achieved this prestigious ranking twice in the last four years, demonstrating its dedication to its ongoing efforts to improve its operations, increase the depth and breadth of its offerings, and further develop its infrastructure .

At its container terminal, the port handled 2,905,306 twenty-foot equivalent units of containerized cargo, an increase from 2,813,920 TEUs in 2021. Another significant achievement was the port's first ro-ro trial, which involved the shipping of 288 trucks to Australia.

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“Despite the uncertain outlook for 2023, we are confident that the port will emerge stronger in the year ahead, cementing our position as one of the world's top performing and fastest growing ports. We continue to look forward to serving our customers and business We are committed to give our partners the best possible service and help the country work towards the objectives of Vision 2030, the CEO continued.

The port is expected to handle 15 million TEUs in May 2022, a record time since its container terminal operations began nine years ago. In addition, it moved from second to first, becoming the world's most efficient container port.

As per the 2021 Container Port Performance Index, which was released in May 2022 by the World Bank and S&P Global Intelligence.

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Most non-containerized sectors at King Abdullah Port also saw significant growth, including break bulk, which grew by 143%, and agro-bulk, which grew by 108%. Other wholesale categories saw a growth of 52%.