SAR641m Boost for Jeddah Islamic Port Cargo Capacity

Jeddah Islamic Port is set for a major upgrade after the approval of a SAR 641 million investment to expand its cargo-handling capacity and cold-chain infrastructure, announced in July 2026. The move aims to strengthen one of the Kingdom's busiest gateways for imported goods.

The expansion package includes 3 new container cranes, 27 rubber-tyred gantry cranes, 91 terminal trucks, and 7 ground-handling units. The container terminal area will grow by 200,000 square meters, allowing the port to handle greater volumes and reduce turnaround times.

A key focus is refrigerated cargo. Cold-storage rooms will increase dramatically from 8 to 75, while reefer plug points — used to keep refrigerated containers powered — will rise from 4,800 to 9,000. This is significant for residents, as much of the fresh food, produce, and medicine arriving in the Kingdom depends on reliable cold-chain handling.

Part of a wider push

The investment comes alongside other developments at the port. Seven logistics-center agreements at Jeddah Islamic Port and the Al Khumra Logistics Zone, announced in July 2026, carry total investments approaching SAR 1 billion.

A larger SAR 3 billion expansion of the South Container Terminal has also been reported, set to raise capacity from 1.8 million to 4 million TEUs and lift refrigerated-container capacity from 1,200 to 2,340.

Together, these projects point to steadily improving supply chains for the wider Jeddah community, supporting faster delivery of goods and greater capacity to store temperature-sensitive products through the year.

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