The ports supervised by the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) achieved a 9.52% increase in container throughput during August 2025, handling 750,634 TEUs, compared to 685,414 TEUs in the same month last year. Transshipment containers recorded significant growth of 14.68%, reaching 189,407 TEUs, compared to 165,161 TEUs in the same month last year, Mawani said.
Export containers rose by 7.95% to 279,550 TEUs, compared to 258,955 TEUs in the same month last year, while import containers increased by 7.80% to 281,677 TEUs, compared to 261,298 TEUs in the same month last year.
Maritime traffic also witnessed an increase of 13.16%, with 1,118 vessels received, compared to 988 vessels in the same month last year. Passenger numbers jumped by 70.10% to 85,636, compared to 50,345 in the same month last year, while the number of vehicles handled rose by 4.27% to 107,826, compared to 103,411 in the same month last year.
Meanwhile, cargo throughput tonnage — including general cargo, dry bulk, and liquid bulk — decreased by 12.44% to 20,199,559 tons, compared to 23,069,278 tons in the same month last year. General cargo accounted for 1,080,734 tons, dry bulk for 4,578,874 tons, and liquid bulk for 14,539,951 tons. The ports also received 494,950 head of cattle, marking a 17.16% increase compared to 422,449 in the same month last year.
The increase in container throughput delivers multiple economic benefits, including enhancing trade flows, stimulating maritime-linked industries and sectors, boosting tourism and related services, supporting supply chains, and strengthening the Kingdom’s food security. These outcomes align with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), which aims to solidify the Kingdom’s standing as a global logistics hub bridging the three continents.
It is worth noting that in July 2025, Mawani also reported a 12.01% increase in container handling, reaching 722,502 TEUs, compared to 645,019 TEUs in the same month last year.