Expansion of Jubail Commercial Port paves way for greener, safer, and cost-efficient transport option

$50 million upgrade enables the entire Eastern province export market to ship through Jubail port

Gulf Stevedoring Contracting Company (GSCCO), part of the Gulftainer group of companies, has announced enhancements to Jubail Commercial Port. With the completed upgrades, the port now has the capacity to process 1.8 million twenty-foot containers (TEU's) per year.

By increasing export volumes in Jubail, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) exporters will have the ability to directly reduce carbon emissions. According to the World Economic Forum, moving cargo by truck accounts for approximately 25 per cent of global transport emissions. Although 60 per cent of containers processed by cargo operators in the Jubail region are currently moved via the port, the remaining 40 per cent is transported via the Dammam highway. Exporters with ambitious carbon neutrality goals can take an average of 101 km off the road with each container moved over Jubail.

Congestion and traffic accidents on the highway frequently delay access to the Eastern province and congest the surrounding hinterland. By upgrading Jubail's throughput capabilities, cargo owners will be able to directly improve road safety and ensure the integrity of KSA's critical oil and gas supply chain.

Jason French, managing director, GSCCO, said: "As we upgrade the Jubail Commercial Port, we continue to work with the Saudi Ports Authority, Mawani, and other key stakeholders, including SABIC and Sadara, to divert the transportation of containers to the port. GSCCO is committed to the principles outlined in the Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative, under the patronage of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to offset the impact of fossil fuels and reduce adverse effects on the climate. According to our in-house experts, moving containers by truck to Dammam instead of using the local Port of Jubail accounts for the emission of 26.1 million kilograms of carbon per annum. It clearly makes economic and environmental sense to transport goods via Jubail Port."

Strategically located, this multipurpose port can handle container, bulk, and general cargo and is critical to the economic development in the KSA.