SAUDI's King Abdullah Port's annual container throughput rose by eight per cent in 2016 to 1.4 million TEU. The positive result comes ahead of the opening of new berths 5 and 6 this year that will raise the annual capacity of the Middle Eastern trade gateway to four million TEU.
King Abdullah Port is looking forward to a "bright future and is taking steady steps toward becoming a prime East-West hub" on the Asia and Europe trade given that 30 per cent of world trade volume, apart from crude oil and petroleum products, pass through the Red Sea, according to MD Abdullah Hameedadin, Ports Development Company, owner of King Abdullah Port.
The port's management expects the completion of the first phase of bulk cargo terminals with a capacity of three million tonnes, in addition to roll-on/roll-off terminals with a capacity of 300,000 TEU to be ready this year. This comes after the port had previously signed an agreement with NYK Group to operate the ro/ro terminal, reported Saudi Gazette.