DP World and the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) have officially opened the newly upgraded South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port. This comes after a three-year expansion project that has more than doubled the terminal’s capacity from 1.8 million to 4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) per year. The upgrade also paves the way for future expansion to handle up to 5 million TEUs as more equipment is added to meet growing demand.
The terminal now has a quay that stretches 2,150 meters long and a water depth of 18 meters, allowing it to serve up to five large container ships at the same time. New automated and electric yard cranes have been added, along with more quay cranes. By the end of 2025, the terminal will have 17 ship-to-shore cranes, with plans to add five more if the 5 million TEU expansion goes ahead.
The facility now features modern automation and digital systems to boost efficiency. These smart technologies are expected to reduce truck gate processing times from two minutes to just 10 seconds by using Internet of Things (IoT) cargo tracking and AI-based tools for accurate cargo counting.
To handle increasing demand for perishable goods, the terminal has also increased its refrigerated container capacity from 1,200 to 2,340 units. A new inspection facility is also being added to check up to 75 refrigerated containers at once.
