(MENAFN) The Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, reported a 21.14 percent increase in container volumes to 693,523 twenty-foot equivalent units in March 2023 from 572,475 TEUs in March 2022. This growth was driven by a 17.74 percent gain in exports to 195,495 TEUs and a 37.5 percent increase in imported containers, which rose to 224,221 TEUs in March 2023 from 162,876 units. Transshipments also saw a 12.83 percent growth to 274,807 TEUs against the previous year's 243,554 units.

In addition to the container volumes, the monthly cargo tonnage in March equaled 26,102,998 tons, indicating a 5.81 percent uptick from 24,670,510 tons in the previous year. The cargo tonnage included 523,513 tons of general cargo, 4,588,115 tons of liquid bulk cargo, and 13,594,542 tons of dry bulk cargo. Food volumes also jumped 37.52 percent last month to reach 1,487,327 tons, up from 2,045,428 tons in the corresponding period a year ago.

The data revealed that livestock imports saw a 496.26 percent yearly spike, hitting 623,644 cattle heads from 104,592. Moreover, while vehicle volumes climbed 11.42 percent in March compared to the same period in 2022, the number of vessels that dropped anchor at Saudi ports increased by 12.52 percent. As for passenger traffic, it saw a 21.16 percent yearly rise, amounting to 104,575 passengers from 86,308 passengers, according to the data.

Mawani has been taking several initiatives to develop the national maritime sector, optimize its operational efficiency, and create an effective regulatory and legislative environment that facilitates streamlined processes. These activities align with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy's objective of transforming Saudi Arabia into an international logistics hub linking three major continents.

The increase in container volumes and cargo tonnage is a positive sign for Saudi Arabia's economy, which has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the decline in oil prices. The growth in exports suggests that the country's non-oil sector is performing well, and the increase in imported containers indicates rising demand for goods and services. The initiatives taken by Mawani to develop the national maritime sector are expected to attract more foreign investment and create new opportunities for businesses, thereby boosting the country's economic growth.

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