Riyadh: The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) recorded an 8.26% increase in cargo volume across its managed ports in October, reaching 27,012,128 tons, up from 24,951,573 tons in October 2023.

According to Saudi Press Agency, outbound containers saw a 14% increase, totaling 254,832 containers compared to 223,434 in the same month of last year, while inbound containers rose by 10% to 248,216, up from 226,514 in the same period in 2023. General cargo reached 913,642 tons, with solid bulk cargo at 4,357,029 tons and liquid bulk at 15,123,585 tons. Livestock imports saw a decrease of 17.3%, with 654,712 head of livestock compared to 791,683 in October 2023.

Total container handling declined by 14.19% to 632,374 containers, down from 736,953 in October 2023, while transshipment containers dropped by 54.94% to 129,326, from 287,005 last year. Vessel traffic decreased by 7.24% with 987 ships, compared to 1,064 in October 2023. Passenger numbers declined by 21.83% to 48,177, and vehicle imports fell by 13.44%, reachin
g 101,212 vehicles compared to 116,930 last year.

Mawani also reported growth in September 2024, with a 7.82% year-on-year increase in cargo handling, totaling 28,097,022 tons. Outbound containers rose by 9% to 255,606, and inbound containers increased by 18% to 258,007, underscoring continued growth trends in Saudi Arabia’s port activities.