Saudi Arabia launches logistics corridors to redirect cargo to Red Sea ports - Latest News from Saudi Arabia and the World

Saudi Arabia has launched a Logistics Corridors Initiative to redirect cargo flows from ports in the Kingdom’s Eastern Region and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ports to Jeddah Islamic Port and other Red Sea ports, officials said during a field visit to Jeddah on March 12. The program, unveiled by Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and Chairman of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) Eng. Saleh Al‑Jasser, aims to strengthen supply chain resilience, accelerate cargo movement and bolster the Kingdom’s role as a regional logistics hub. Saudi ports along the Red Sea coast have a combined annual capacity exceeding 18.6 million TEUs.

"Jeddah Islamic Port and other ports on the western coast play a key role in receiving shipments redirected from eastern Saudi ports and GCC ports while strengthening the Kingdom’s connectivity with global markets," Eng. Saleh Al‑Jasser said as he chaired briefings and toured container terminals, logistics parks and re‑export centers at the port.

Details of the initiative and operational measures

The launch was attended by Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) Governor Eng. Suhail Abanmi, Mawani President Eng. Suliman Al‑Mazroua, and senior officials from government entities and the logistics sector. Officials described the corridors as dedicated operational routes to receive containers and cargo redirected from eastern and regional ports, improving the flow of goods between regional and global markets.

• Primary hub: Jeddah Islamic Port, described in the announcement as the largest Red Sea hub and a principal regional logistics center.
• Capacity: Saudi Red Sea ports collectively exceed 18.6 million TEUs in annual handling capability.
• Coordination: Mawani, ZATCA and other government entities will coordinate to expand operational capacity at ports, airports and transport networks.
• Customs facilitation: ZATCA will accelerate clearance procedures and provide transit services across all Saudi customs ports to support movement to GCC countries by land, sea and air.
• Bonded warehousing: Existing bonded warehouse zones will allow importers and exporters to suspend duties and taxes until customs clearance or re‑export.

"The Logistics Corridors Initiative represents a major step toward improving integration between customs and logistics procedures at Saudi and GCC ports," Eng. Suhail Abanmi said, noting ZATCA's role in expediting clearance and providing flexible transit services across the Kingdom.

Mawani President Eng. Suliman Al‑Mazroua framed the corridors as an outcome of public‑private cooperation, saying the Kingdom's ports have the infrastructure and operational capabilities to accommodate shifts in global trade routes and receive redirected cargo efficiently. During the visit, Eng. Al‑Jasser reviewed vessel traffic and cargo handling from the Command and Control Center and praised port employees for their coordination in implementing the leadership’s directives.

Outlook

Authorities say the initiative will enhance the resilience of supply chains servicing regional and international markets by diverting cargo to stronger Red Sea capacity and streamlining customs and logistics processes. With government and private sector coordination, officials signaled continued expansion of port, airport and transport network capacity to absorb redirected flows and support uninterrupted trade across the region.