Container availability is set to improve in Saudi Arabia after authorities extended fee exemptions on inbound empty containers at two key eastern ports, a move aimed at easing supply constraints and supporting exporters.
The Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, said it has doubled the exemption period on storage fees for empty containers from 10 days to 20 days at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam and Jubail Commercial Port.
The measure is aimed at incentivising shipping lines to reposition more empty containers into the kingdom, including surplus units held at other Gulf ports, improving availability for exporters. Lower storage costs reduce a key deterrent for carriers and could help smooth cargo flows and ease logistics bottlenecks.
This comes at a time of heightened regional uncertainty, with escalating conflict between the US and Israel and Iran disrupting navigation through the Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s most critical oil and gas chokepoints, through which roughly a fifth of global oil supplies pass.
Daipayan Adhikari, head of strategic projects and logistics solutions at United Warehouse Company Limited, told Arab News the move directly addresses a critical bottleneck.
He said: “This is a practical move to improve container availability and export efficiency in the Eastern Province. Extending the empty container exemption from 10 to 20 days at King Abdulaziz Port and Jubail Commercial Port will encourage shipping lines to reposition empty containers into Saudi ports.”
Adhikari added: “For exporters and logistics operators, this means better container availability, smoother cargo movement, and potentially lower operational costs. It is another step strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional logistics hub under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.”
Recent disruptions have led to delays, higher freight rates, and shifting shipping patterns, increasing pressure on supply chains and container availability across the Gulf.
Against this backdrop, Saudi Arabia has been rolling out measures to sustain maritime activity.
Earlier this month, Mawani introduced additional support services for vessels and added five new shipping services with major global carriers, including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, with a combined capacity of more than 63,000 twenty-foot equivalent units.
Container handling at Saudi ports has also been rising, climbing 20.89 per cent year on year in February to 667,882 TEUs.
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