Jeddah Islamic Port Named Hub for Two Global Lines

Jeddah Islamic Port has been designated a key regional hub for two major container shipping services, AE15 and AE19, operated under the Gemini Cooperation network. Both loops transit the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Suez Canal, placing the port at the center of East–West trade lanes connecting Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Europe.

AE15 is a long-haul service linking Jeddah with Qingdao and Ningbo in China, Gwangyang in Korea, Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Singapore, and the Egyptian ports of Port Said and Damietta. The route was reconfigured in 2026 to resume Suez Canal transits instead of the longer detour around the Cape of Good Hope, and a regular Jeddah call was added starting August 2026. The service operates with vessels of up to about 19,000 TEU, supporting large mainline ships.

AE19 connects Jeddah with Shanghai, Qingdao and Ningbo in China, Busan in Korea, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Said, Tangier in Morocco, Singapore, and other Mediterranean hubs. It has now been routed through the Red Sea and Suez Canal instead of around the Cape of Good Hope. Under the revised network, Jeddah is called twice per full rotation — once northbound toward the Mediterranean and once southbound returning to Asia.

The AE19 changes took effect in mid-2026, trimming the total round-trip rotation from about 16 weeks to roughly 14 weeks while maintaining weekly sailings.

The upgraded status strengthens Jeddah's role as a primary gateway for regional trade and reflects its growing importance in global shipping networks — a development that supports supply chains, logistics jobs, and the flow of goods that reach households and businesses across the Kingdom.

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