New RC2 Container Service Boosts Jeddah Port Trade

Saudi Arabia's ports authority, Mawani, has added a new container shipping service — RC2 — to Jeddah Islamic Port in August 2026, expanding the port's maritime connectivity and reinforcing its role in regional trade.

The RC2 service is a scheduled liner route operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE). It links Jeddah Islamic Port with Shanghai, Ningbo, and Nansha in China, Aqaba in Jordan, and Ain Sokhna in Egypt. The rotation passes through the Bab Al‑Mandab Strait and carries a nominal capacity of up to 1,643 TEU containers.

The service handles standard full‑container‑load (FCL) and less‑than‑container‑load (LCL) cargo on regular scheduled rotations, and forms part of Mawani's wider network connecting the Red Sea with Asian markets from Jeddah.

Why it matters

The new route is designed to improve the flow of Saudi imports and exports through Jeddah, strengthen the Kingdom's position as a regional logistics hub, and enhance port competitiveness and operational efficiency — key measures tracked in global port performance rankings.

Freight and handling costs for the service follow commercial ocean‑freight contracts and market rates set by the carrier rather than a fixed government fee schedule. Port‑side charges at Jeddah Islamic Port are managed under Mawani's commercial port tariff framework and invoiced directly to shipping lines and terminal users. The service is a maritime shipping line, so it is not connected to individual e‑services, and shippers book cargo through standard commercial channels.

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