Saudi container traffic up 52.9% in 2025

Saudi Arabia recorded a sharp rise in maritime trade in 2025, with combined inbound and outbound container traffic climbing 52.9% compared with 2024 to reach about 3.89 million containers,

The total was split almost evenly, with roughly 1.94 million outbound containers and about 1.95 million inbound containers. Overall cargo handled through Saudi ports during the year exceeded 341 million tons, reflecting stronger flows of goods in and out of the Kingdom.

Measured in standard twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), container handling reached about 8.32 million TEUs in 2025, up 10.58% on the previous year. Outbound volumes came to around 3.15 million TEUs, a rise of 11.72%, while inbound volumes reached about 3.42 million TEUs, up 8.82%.

A mixed start to 2026

Monthly performance in 2026 has been uneven. January throughput rose 2.01% year-on-year to about 738,111 TEUs, and February climbed 20.89% to roughly 667,882 TEUs, driven by a 26.18% jump in inbound containers. However, April cargo fell 34.58% year-on-year to about 14.53 million tons, and June cargo dropped 38% to around 14.34 million tons, with container throughput also declining.

In July 2026, total container throughput across all Mawani seaports was about 597,737 TEUs, with the Jeddah Islamic Port alone handling roughly 540,107 TEUs — around 90.4% of the national total, underscoring its central role in the Kingdom's trade network.

For residents and businesses, the numbers point to expanding import and export capacity that supports the availability of goods and the growth of logistics jobs across Riyadh, Jeddah and beyond.

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