Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) announced that King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam has been named ‘Port of the Year’ at the 19th edition of the ShipTek Awards.
This accolade celebrates Mawani’s endeavor to improve the port’s infrastructure, whose central focus was the development and operation of container terminals. With an investment exceeding $1 billion (SAR7 billion) through a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) system, the port’s container handling capacity has surged by over 120 percent, now reaching 7.5 million TEUs.
According to the release, Mawani has partnered with STC to propel King Abdul Aziz Port into the future as a smart port powered by 5G technology. This partnership, part of the Smart Ports program, aims to automate operations, including remote control of cranes, for enhanced efficiency and faster container movement.
As per the statement, “Further enhancing the port’s capabilities are four integrated logistics parks, representing an investment exceeding $319 million (SAR1.2 billion). These parks streamline transportation, distribution, and storage operations, both regionally and locally.”
King Abdul Aziz Port plays a crucial role in bolstering the maritime transport sector. The strategic partnerships with leading global shipping lines have resulted in the launch of 12 new shipping services in 2023 and a further six since the beginning of 2024.
These infrastructure advancements have yielded impressive results, with the port achieving record-breaking container throughput. In 2023, the port handled 2,305,811 TEUs, a 13.10 percent increase over 2022. The upward trend continued in February 2024, with the port handling a record 235,820 TEUs, a remarkable 25.41 percent growth compared to the same period in the previous year.
