Saleh Al-Zahrani, a transport and logistics specialist, said that lower storage costs and greater flexibility in container management enhance the competitiveness of Jeddah Islamic Port, especially for transit and re-export goods, thereby increasing opportunities to attract new shipping lines.

Al-Zahrani explained on Al-Ikhbariya channel that lower cost is an important factor but not the only one, noting that shipping companies' final decisions are also influenced by turnaround speed, customs efficiency, digital transformation, and connectivity to roads and railways, stressing that the integration of these elements determines the port's attractiveness to global shipping companies.

Al-Zahrani's remarks came after Jeddah Islamic Port announced an extension of storage fee exemption periods for transit goods to 60 days, effective July 19, 2026, as part of a package of incentives aimed at improving supply chain efficiency and enhancing the attractiveness of Saudi ports on the global trade map, in a step that reflects the accelerating logistics transformation in the Kingdom.

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The decision includes three key operational indicators: extending the exemption period for transit containers to 15 days, exempting general transit cargo for 5 days, and granting an exemption period of 5 days for goods arriving via Ro-Ro ships and cars.

These incentives are expected to provide beneficiaries with greater flexibility in managing shipping, storage, and re-export operations, thereby supporting the efficiency of logistics operations and enhancing the competitiveness of Jeddah Islamic Port.

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