DESPITE regional and global economic uncertainty, Saudi Arabia's two leading container ports, Jeddah and Dammam, have seen steady performances so far this year, the Dubai's Maritime Standard reported.
'Steady' first half performance for Saudi Arabia's Jeddah and Dammam ports DESPITE regional and global economic uncertainty, Saudi Arabia's two leading container ports, Jeddah and Dammam, have seen steady performances so far this year, the Dubai's Maritime Standard reported. In the first half of 2016 Jeddah handled 2.17 million TEU, slightly up on the 2.10 million TEU handled in the same period last year. On the Gulf coast, Dammam achieved a throughput of 950,474 TEU, only slightly down on the 964,000 TEU recorded in the equivalent period of 2015. Jeddah's performance is particularly encouraging to the port authority, as it faces tough completion from the privately owned King Abdullah Port, which has become a key hub for MSC, among others. Dammam received a boost recently with the maiden call by Hyundai Merchant Marine at the IPS container terminal. The 4,648 TEU Hyundai Glory called within its new CME service, which it is operating jointly with Emirates Shipping Line, connecting Dammam with China and Korea.