In an effort to increase direct trade and shipping between the country and the rest of the globe, the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) announced the beginning of Gulf-India Express 2 (GIX2) by Aladin Express DMCC’s shipping service from King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam.
The new route will link Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain, Hamad in Qatar, and Mundra in India with the capital of the kingdom’s Eastern Province.
The vessel “Green Ace,” which has a carrying capacity of 1,740 TEUs, will run the fortnightly service (twenty equipment units).
The new service is a component of Saudi ports’ attempts to improve its portfolio of services for importers, exporters, and shipping agents while also improving domestic ports and the maritime transport industry.
Mawani has unveiled the “Smart Ports” programme to implement and hasten the digital transformation of local ports through the use of 5G technology.
Global shipping lines including Pacific International Lines (PIL), Regional Container Lines (RCL), and China United Lines (CUL), in association with Saudi Global Ports, launched a weekly shipping service from China to King Abdulaziz Port last December (SGP).
The addition of Shanghai and Singapore to PIL’s service in June of this year strengthened the port’s competitiveness and expansionary objectives by facilitating import and export activities.
The Chinese state-owned port equipment manufacturer will produce three cutting-edge quay cranes as part of a recent agreement between Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC) and SGP under the supervision of Mawani, allowing King Abdulaziz Port to accept large vessels.
The King Abdulaziz Port handled a record 199,609 TEUs in August, placing fifteenth in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) for 2021.
