Transport hub on the Red Sea: The Port of Jeddah

With 3.4 million inhabitants, Jeddah is the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia. The country’s economy is constantly growing, and Jeddah is one of its most important business centers as well as home to many company headquarters and government agencies.

And the Port of Jeddah, our port of the month, also has a special importance for Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East as a hub on the Red Sea. From Jeddah, Hapag-Lloyd sails to all continents. Beginning in April 2018, it will also have direct connections to the east coast of Africa.

With an annual handling volume of 3.956 million TEU, the Jeddah Islamic Seaport holds 37th place in the ranking of the world’s busiest ports. The privately owned port is currently being modified and expanded on a large scale. At the port’s most modern terminal, the Red Sea Gateway Terminal, container ships can moor at four berths, and there is an fifth berth specifically for feeder vessels. In addition, the terminal has space for 2,400 reefer containers and covers a total area of 750,000 sqm. The terminal has boosted the port’s handling capacity by 45 percent.

For Hapag-Lloyd, the most important good it imports into Saudi Arabia is foodstuffs. At the top of the list for exports are petrochemical products. Hapag-Lloyd’s office in Jeddah was recently renovated. There, in the heart of the city, 110 employees work for Hapag-Lloyd’s Region Middle East.