Saudi Arabia ranked world's fifth fastest in container ship handling: UNCTAD

Containers on a dock

Saudi Arabia secured fifth rank as the world's fastest in container ship handling per hour, according to the annual index issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

This is the first time the Kingdom is positioned among the world's top 10 ports, said Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI).

According to UNCTAD report for 2020, Saudi Arabia recorded an average of 16.8 hours for container handling in local ports, MAWANI added.
 

The national ports authority also indicated that it has implemented a package of initiatives that contributed to this progress, in joint cooperation with the General Directorate of Border Guards, Saudi Customs and the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), which include cancelling the prerequisite approval to start ship handling operations, and containers unloading and loading once the ship is anchored.

The initiatives also include cancelling the previously required approval to allow the ship to continue its journey, and suffice the issuance of an electronic port permit.

Moreover, container loading and unloading handling productivity was improved following the signing of new container concession contracts in 2020, which included the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for handling, as well as re-engineering ship travel procedures and automating vessel travel permits, MAWANI noted.