Saudi Arabia occupies the majority of the Arabian Peninsula. Located in Western Asia, the country borders the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq and the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia is a major trading partner with countries in the region as well as internationally which is why these 10 major ports are crucial to the country’s economy.

1. Jeddah Islamic Port

Located right in the middle of the international shipping routes that connect the East to the West this port is crucial to the sustenance of Jeddah as Saudi Arabia’s commercial capital. Jeddah is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia and the Jeddah Islamic port is not only the second largest port among Arab countries but it’s also one of the busiest ports in the region.

Since the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the number one exporter of oil in the world this port comes in handy in handling storage of oil as well as exportation of the country’s premier export commodity. It handles more than 65% of the country’s import commodities as well. It’s the country’s main port in the Red Sea.

The port contains more than 1700 modern cargo handling equipment. The Jeddah Islamic Port features massive warehouses to handle retention of cargo where applicable, a ship building and repair yard, 62 berths all equipped with the latest in technology. The berths can handle everything from livestock cargo to passenger cargo and bulk grain, containers as well as general cargo. The overall capacity of the port is 130 million tones across the 5 terminals. This port is expected to employ automation at terminals with time.

2. King Abdulaziz Port Dammam Port

Locally known simply as Dammam port, this port is the largest port within the Persian Gulf. It also lays claim on being the second busiest port in North Africa and the Middle East combined. It comes second to the Jeddah Islamic Port in operations and capacity.

This is the main port of the country in the Arabian Gulf and it handles a large share of the export services for the oil industry. The port features a refrigerated cargo terminal, two general cargo terminals, shared container and bulk grain terminals as well as 1st and 2nd container terminals.

The port is also home to a specialized training center in maritime science and technology, a marine control tower, a ship repair yard, a re-export area, warehouses and yards for transshipments. Within the port is a residential complex for employees, a commercial market and a mosque. It’s a fully self sufficient economy within the port.

3. King Fahad Industrial Port Yanbu

The King Fahad Industrial Port Yanbu is the major crude oil handling port in Saudi Arabia. It also takes refined petroleum products and petrochemicals moving along the Red Sea. Its location is prime since it’s nestled between Europe and America’s Suez Canal trading routes as well as the Far East’s Bab Elmandeb.

This port is meant to handle industrial products from exporting the oil and its by products to importing equipment and machinery needed for the industries that facilitate this economy. It has capacity of handling 130 million tones annually.

With 34 berths the port takes care of general cargo like containers and Ro-Ro, bulk cargo including sulphur and crude oil. Because the port receives massive crude oil carriers it has dedicated most of its berths to this product.

4. King Fahad Industrial Port Jubail

This port was developed from the country’s proceeds of oil and gas exports. The King Fahad Industrial Port Jubail was primarily created to service the Jubail Industrial city meaning it is the main import port for raw materials that go into Jubail Industrial city. In the same breathe it’s also supposed to help handle the exports coming from the industrial city to the regional and international markets.

It handles three different types of refined petroleum, chemical fertilizer, iron ore cargo, petroleum gas products like butane, propylene, Ethylene, and Phenol chloride. This port is crucial in the seamless trading of products with the players in the Jubail industrial city.

5. Jubail Commercial Port

This port handles the commercial cargo in Jubail including general, container and bulk cargo. With a capacity of 1 million TEUs annually this port provides an alternate gateway to Saudi Arabia’s regional and international markets. Its focus is on the catering to the commercial needs coming from Jubail Industrial city since it also offers inroads to Riyadh. It is also just 80 km north of Dammam another major commercial city in the country.

The general cargo and bulk cargo terminal is fitted with extremely impressive equipment like several grain discharging equipment with the capacity to discharge 50 to 400 tonnes per hour depending on which equipment one is using. The container terminal of Jubail Commercial Port is also very well equipped with the berth capacity at the port reaching 36 million tones.

The port is efficient because they have simplified their operations into three main terminals: the container terminal with 4 berths, the general terminal with 8 berths and the bulk terminal with 4 berths.

6. Gizan Port

The port of Gizan or Jizan, is located on the southern Red Sea coast, really close to some of the most important ocean routes to Europe and other eastern countries. An aiport is also located nearly, connecting with cities from the country.

This is a mid-size modern port, pretty well equipped with equipment to manage large size cargo like containers. As an example, in 2009, it managed more than 839 tonnage.

7. Ras al Mishab Port

Located at the North-east coast of Saudi Arabia, the port of Ras al Mishab provides facilites for the military city of Al Batin. This port can manage container, dru bulk and is also capable og managing break bulk.

8. Ras al Ghar Port

The port of Ras al Ghar is also located in the North-east coast of Saudi Arabia, this port is not really prepared for managing big sizes cargo, and it helps to move regional or small amounts of shipments. It has around 989 nautical miles, and there are facilities like transport or restaurants.

9. Ras Tanura Port

The port of Ras Tanura is located near the city of Dammam, at the North-east coast. This region of Saudi Arabia also has its own airport and highway infrastructure, helping export and import movements in the area. Even if is not a big port, is prepared to manage mid-size cargo. This port also covers different types of military practices.

10. Dhuba Port

This portas was established in order to help the nort-west areas of Saudi Arabia. Is the closest port of the country to Suez Canal, and has routes to Greece, Turkey and French ports.

The port of Dhuba also recieves passengers and cargs shipments, and is equipped with modern infrastructures in order to handle different types of cargo.