Saudi Ports Moved More Than 341 Million Tons in 2025 as Imports Grew More Than Twice as Fast as Exports
Saudi Arabia’s ports handled more than 341 million tons of inbound and outbound cargo in 2025, the General Authority for Statistics said on 17 September, 341.6 million tons on our calculation from the published totals. Outbound cargo came to 227.2 million tons, 2.1 percent more than in 2024, while inbound cargo reached 114.3 million tons, up 5.0 percent. Passenger traffic rose 20.1 percent to about 1.1 million.
1 port carries 50.7 percent of exports
King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu shipped 115.2 million tons, 50.7 percent of all outbound cargo. On the separate cargo handled measure, liquid bulk was 96.3 percent of the 98.5 million tons the port recorded, on our calculation from the publication’s own table. King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam took in the most, at 39.2 million tons.
The container business sits elsewhere. Jeddah Islamic Port handled 4.3 million 20 foot equivalent units, 47.3 percent of the national total of 9.08 million, and Dammam 2.58 million. On our calculation the two together account for 76 percent of the country’s container throughput.
| Port | Cargo handled, million tons | Containers, million TEU |
|---|---|---|
| King Fahad Industrial, Yanbu | 98.5 | Not available |
| King Fahad Industrial, Jubail | 63.2 | 0 |
| Jeddah Islamic | 54.1 | 4.30 |
| King Abdulaziz, Dammam | 38.2 | 2.58 |
| All ports | 298.3 | 9.08 |
Cargo handled is a different measure from inbound plus outbound volume and totals 298.3 million tons. Container figures for King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu are listed as not available by the source.
Capacity runs ahead of traffic
The publication puts total capacity at 686.2 million tons. On our calculation last year’s inbound and outbound volume filled 49.8 percent of it, and cargo handled 43.5 percent. Jeddah alone is rated at 130 million tons and King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu at 210 million.
Ships arriving numbered 7,848, with Jeddah taking 2,677, Jubail Commercial 1,256 and Dammam 1,030. Jazan led on passengers with 489,650, ahead of Jeddah on 413,834 and NEOM on 187,040. Cruise passengers came to 174,500.
| Measure | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Outbound cargo, million tons | 227.2 | +2.1% |
| Inbound cargo, million tons | 114.3 | +5.0% |
| Passengers | 1,096,395 | +20.1% |
| Arriving ships | 7,848 | Not stated |
Passenger and cargo changes are against 2024 as published. The publication draws on administrative records from the Saudi Ports Authority, the Economic Cities and Special Economic Zones Authority, NEOM Company and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.
Why it matters: Imports rose at 2.4 times the rate of exports on our calculation, so the export share of port tonnage slipped to 66.5 percent from 67.1 percent. With 50.7 percent of outbound tonnage leaving from King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu, where liquid bulk is 96.3 percent of cargo handled on our calculation, the tonnage series stays concentrated in 1 liquid bulk port, while containers and passengers are spread across Jeddah, Dammam, Jazan and NEOM.
Outlook: Capacity is running near half used on our calculation, though the published figure is a national total and says nothing about capacity at any individual berth or terminal. The next annual edition will show whether the 20.1 percent rise in passengers holds.
Sources: General Authority for Statistics.
