Saudi Arabia launches the world’s largest truck marshalling area at Jeddah port

Saudi Arabia has opened the world’s largest truck marshalling area at Jeddah Islamic Port, a 1 million square metre facility inaugurated by Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser. The new marshalling area will function as the first transit point for trucks heading to the port before proceeding to gates 4–9, and was unveiled alongside seven commercial agreements signed with private companies worth more than SR1 billion (about $266.9 million).

"The new truck area at the port raises the efficiency of logistics operations and trade movement," Minister Saleh Al-Jasser said, adding that the logistics sector "has adapted to shifts in global shipping traffic by redirecting trade to the western coasts."

What the new marshalling area does

The 1 million sq. metre marshalling yard is designed to increase operational capacity, reduce congestion, and improve the flow of truck traffic into Jeddah Islamic Port. Officials described it as a model of integration between the transport system, security agencies, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and the private sector. The facility aims to organize the entry and exit movement of trucks, provide a safer and more comfortable environment for drivers, and lower congestion within the city of Jeddah, which receives tens of thousands of truck movements daily.

On the sidelines of the launch, the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) announced seven new agreements that expand logistics infrastructure within the Kingdom’s port network. With these deals, the total number of logistics zones across Saudi ports rises to 34, backed by private-sector investments totalling SR15 billion.

• Expansion of Maersk’s logistics zone at Jeddah Port — described as Maersk’s largest logistics zone worldwide.
• GD Logistics signed its largest investment outside China, covering two projects in Jeddah Port and the Al-Khumrah area.
• Five leading national companies signed contracts to establish new logistics zones across Saudi ports.

Broader context and government goals

Al-Jasser framed the project as part of a broader effort to strengthen the Kingdom’s logistics resilience: "the Kingdom has proven during crises that it possesses strong infrastructure and a flexible logistics system, backed by major investments and effective partnerships with the private sector, which enabled it to efficiently redirect trade movement according to regional changes." He noted the sector’s ability to adapt after trade shifted between eastern and western coasts in response to regional developments, and emphasized that Saudi ports now play a role beyond serving national trade by supporting neighbouring countries' commerce.

Mawani President Suleiman Al‑Mazroua underscored the economic logic behind the investments: "the logistics centers aim to maximize the added value of goods and services, in a way that enhances the benefit to local markets and the markets of countries bordering the Red Sea." He also revealed that "17 out of 34 logistics centers are located in Jeddah" and pointed to planned investments and development of an economic zone in the Al‑Khumrah area, expected to open new horizons and investment opportunities.

Outlook

The marshalling area and the new logistics-zone agreements are positioned to boost throughput and efficiency at Jeddah Islamic Port while drawing sizeable private capital into port-adjacent logistics real estate. With SR15 billion in private funding now allocated across 34 logistics zones, port authorities expect an accelerated conversion of Jeddah into an integrated logistics hub — handling larger volumes and a broader mix of services, and strengthening the Red Sea corridor’s role in regional trade.