Mawani Launches Red Sea Express Container Service at King Fahd Industrial Port

Riyadh: The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) announced the launch of the Red Sea Express container service at King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu, welcoming the Saudi-flagged vessel Folk Jubail, owned by national carrier Folk Maritime, on its maiden call under the new service, carrying the first container shipment in partnership with SABIC and Red Sea Gateway Terminal. According to Saudi Press Agency, the service offers a capacity of 1,100 TEUs, contributing to the enhanced competitiveness of Saudi ports and advancing their operational capabilities. The launch comes as part of Mawani's strategic partnerships with leading regional and international shipping lines, in alignment with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, solidifying the Kingdom's standing as a global investment and logistics hub while boosting non-oil exports and attracting investment. The Red Sea Express service will strengthen coastal shipping between Jeddah Islamic Port and King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu while linking both ports to Aqaba Port in Jordan and Ain Sokhna Port in Egypt. It will also provide direct shipping routes for national products, increase container throughput at Saudi ports, facilitate direct imports from global ports, and reinforce trade exchange. King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu is one of the Kingdom's key ports and the largest port on the Red Sea coast for handling crude oil, refined petroleum products, and petrochemicals. Strategically located along the main trade route connecting America, Europe, and the Far East via the Suez Canal and Bab Al-Mandab Strait, the port has a handling capacity of up to 210 million tons.