Saudi Arabia’s maritime authority, Mawani, has launched a new international shipping service connecting the ports of Jeddah, Salalah, and Djibouti, with the aim of improving global trade connectivity amid ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting key sea routes.
The new service is designed to handle up to 1,730 standard containers and is part of broader efforts to strengthen alternative maritime corridors as disruptions continue in critical waterways.
In addition, a separate Red Sea Express route has been introduced, linking Jeddah, Yanbu, Egypt’s Sokhna port, and Jordan’s Aqaba, with a capacity of 1,100 containers, further expanding regional shipping links.
Saudi authorities have been actively developing backup transport routes following heightened instability in nearby strategic maritime zones, which has disrupted global shipping flows and contributed to rising energy and logistics costs.
The country has also intensified the use of alternative oil transport infrastructure, including pipelines, to reduce reliance on vulnerable sea routes. These measures are part of broader efforts to secure energy exports and maintain stability in international trade operations.
Officials and analysts note that regional cooperation and infrastructure expansion have become increasingly important as geopolitical tensions continue to reshape shipping routes across the Middle East and surrounding waters.
