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DP World and the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) have officially inaugurated the new South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port, following a three-year project that has more than doubled its capacity from 1.8 million to 4 million TEU a year. The expansion also opens the way for further expansion to a capacity of 5 million TEU, with additional ship-to-shore equipment scheduled to be deployed as demand grows.
The Jeddah terminal was DP World’s first concession outside the UAE in 1999, and this latest expansion has been undertaken under a fresh 30-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement.
The Jeddah South Container Terminal now provides a total quay length of 2,150m, with a water depth of 18m alongside, and is capable of accommodating up to five ultra-large container vessels simultaneously. Automated and electrified yard cranes have also been introduced, along with an expanded fleet of quay cranes. By the end of 2025 the terminal will be equipped with 17 ship-to-shore gantry cranes with plans to acquire a further five when the decision to execute the 5 million TEU capacity increase are put into effect.
The upgraded facility features advanced automation and digitalisation systems designed to improve operational efficiency. Smart technology is expected to significantly reduce gate transaction times, from two minutes to just 10 seconds, by using IoT-enabled cargo tracking and AI-powered cargo tallying for precise record keeping.
To meet fast-rising demand for perishable cargoes, the terminal’s capacity for refrigerated containers has been expanded from 1200 to 2340 units, which will be supported by a new inspection facility that can inspect up to 75 reefers at a time.
In line with its global sustainability strategy, DP World is implementing initiatives to reduce CO₂ emissions at the terminal by 50% over the next five years. Measures include the electrification of yard cranes and trucks as well as solar panel installations.
