ASIATODAY.ID, MADINAH — Madinah Region is rapidly transforming from a religious heartland into a decisive force in Saudi Arabia’s maritime transport and supply chain architecture.
The latest 40th Economic Bulletin issued by the Al Madinah Al Munawarah Chamber positions the region as a rising logistics powerhouse, capitalizing on its strategic Red Sea coastline and its expanding role within the Kingdom’s transport network under Saudi Vision 2030.
At the core of this transformation are two major ports in Yanbu Governorate—King Fahd Industrial Port and Yanbu Commercial Port—which have become indispensable to Saudi Arabia’s import-export ecosystem.
These ports play a critical role in handling petrochemicals and heavy industrial cargo, reinforcing Madinah’s growing influence in both regional and global supply chains.
According to 2024 maritime transport data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), total cargo throughput across Saudi ports reached 331 million tons.
Exports dominated the flow at 222.4 million tons, posting a robust 9.3% year-on-year growth, while imports climbed to 108.9 million tons, up 3.6% from 2023.
Strikingly, King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu alone accounted for 51% of the Kingdom’s total exports, handling 114 million tons—a figure that underscores Madinah Region’s central role in Saudi Arabia’s supply chain resilience.
Overall cargo throughput at Saudi ports surpassed 334 million tons, with King Fahd Industrial Port leading nationwide at 133 million tons, representing 39.7% of total handled cargo.
The bulletin emphasizes that this exceptional performance places Madinah at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s logistics revolution.
As Vision 2030 accelerates economic diversification, the region is emerging as a magnet for international distribution hubs, ship refueling facilities, and export–re-export warehouses, while simultaneously strengthening domestic manufacturing through tighter integration of production, export, and distribution networks.
Once known solely as a spiritual destination, Madinah is now asserting itself as a strategic logistics nerve center—quietly reshaping Saudi Arabia’s role in global maritime trade. (SPA)
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