There has been an increase in the total cargo tonnage handled at Jubail Commercial Port in November, according to Saudi Ports Authority.

The cargo handled in November was valued at SR 9,198,947 compared to SR 8,137,916 during the same month in 2013, a rise of 10 percent.

The number of ships arriving at the port increased by 50 percent compared to last year, the authority stated, adding that it recorded an increase in the number of arriving and departing ships — 201 ships during the current year compared to 102 ships in 2013.

All these augur well for Jubail Commercial Port, which significantly supports the Eastern Province’s economy in particular.

Mohammed Al-Gazar, member of Maritime Transport Committee at Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC), said the monthly rise in the total tonnage of cargo handled at Jubail Commercial Port is due to its strategic site and rise in population, which increases demand on imported materials and supplies, and government projects.

Amer Khaled Hafez of the Maritime Transport Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) said the ongoing Jubail industrial boom is marked by the construction of 50-60 factories, including those for existing and new chemical and water desalination plants.

“These factories have caused a rise in the demand for imported materials as well as labor force and their residential needs,” he said, adding that all these developments have led to an increase in the handling of cargo volume at the port.