JEDDAH, 23 November 2005 — With the economic buoyancy further triggered by the rising oil prices and the consequent jump in oil revenues, Saudi Arabia’s seaports are humming with increased levels of activity. While the cargo loading and unloading operations have increased, facilities at various ports in terms of equipment are keeping pace with the rising demand.
“Port facilities across the Kingdom are quite satisfactory, although there are occasional congestions caused by external factors,” a visiting team of top overseas shipping executives said yesterday.
“Whether for full container cargo or ro-ro vessels, the facilities at Jeddah Islamic Port are the best in the region and are comparable to some of the best the world over,” Paolo Messina, president of Genoa-based Ignazio Messina & Co. SpA, told Arab News on the sidelines of a meeting he and his team had with their local agents.
Messina is on a visit, heading a team that includes Middle East Area Manager Vincenzo Re and Claims Manager Capt. Mario Grottolo.
The team is currently having a series of meetings with their local agents Globe Marine Services Co.’s Emad Fareed Abdul Jawad, Khalil I. Abduljawad, and M.H. Mohideen Bhava.
Ignazio Messina’s Saudi Arabian General Manager Dr. Sami Ezzat Labib, who also took part in the meeting, said Messina vessels were calling the Kingdom’s ports for over 70 years.
“The company’s turnover in 2004 was 215 million euros and it is expected to increase to 237 million euros in 2005,” Messina said.
“We’re currently operating weekly services to Jeddah. These new services were introduced in 2004,” Re said, adding that the company, which specializes in container and ro-ro vessels, is facing stiff competition as cargo traffic has increased by leaps and bounds in the region covering the Middle East, Africa, and Indian Subcontinent. “Comparatively, cargo traffic from Europe has declined,” he added.
Messina Line has a checkered history of 84 years. Giuseppe Messina started the line in 1921. Its services extended to North Africa and gained recognition throughout the shipping world, and received the “Mail Pennant” award.
In 1935 the line started calling the Red Sea ports of Saudi Arabia and East Africa, but its fleet was almost destroyed during the war. It then extended its links to Tunisia, Algeria, Lebanon, Egypt and West Africa. In 1968, the business activity was transformed from that of a traditional conventional ship-owner into a carrier specializing in ro-ro container services.
“During the closure of the Suez Canal, Messina ships were the only ones flying the Italian flag to offer a liner service to East Africa and the Red Sea. In 1975, a Messina ship was the first to cross the reopened Suez Canal and start a container service to the Red Sea and the Gulf, and later extended to India, Pakistan and South Africa,” he said.
One of the most successfully run family business, the Messina Line’s capital amounted to 29.54 million euros by Dec. 31, 2001. Its annual turnover increased to over 258 million euros with a work force of 700 employees. Today, the company owns a fleet of 16 ships, plus some chartered vessels, all specialized ro-ro container and full container ships.