The development of the South Container Terminal is part of the new concession agreement Mawani signed with DP World Jeddah in April 2020 to continue operating and managing the facility for the next 30 years. The company has committed to a total investment of US$800 million to modernise the terminal, reports Colchester's Seatrade Maritime News.

The new overhaul project, which will take place over four phases, will see infrastructural upgrades, including the broadening of draught depth and quay, and the installation of advanced equipment and technologies.

The development plans include extending the length of the quay from 1,500m to 2,150m and deepening the draught to 18m, to service five vessels simultaneously and handle current and future largest container vessels up to 26,000 TEU.

DP World said 15 new ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes and 60 new electrically powered rubber-tyred gantry (RTGs) cranes will be added to the container yard in batches starting in 2022.

"The continuing development of our national ports through public-private partnerships is a priority for us at Mawani as part of our long-term strategy to drive growth in Saudi Arabia's ports sector and bolster the kingdom's pre-eminent position as a global logistics hub connecting three continents as envisaged in Vision 2030," remarked Omar Hariri, president of Mawani.

DP World Jeddah and country head Saudi Arabia Mohammad Alshaikh said: "Our strategy as a smart trade enabler is to modernise the facility, expand its capacity and diversify the range of smart logistics services on offer at the South Container Terminal. This will help in improving the quality of the service for our current customers and assist our efforts towards attracting new business to the port."