KAEC — Leading international maritime shipping companies Maersk and MSC have chosen King Abdullah Port as a logistics station on the Red Sea for the two new shipping routes launched by both companies. The choice confirms the importance of the port’s location as a link between the East and the West and its potential to play a prominent role in supporting the international shipping industry and trade exchange between the world’s continents. The first shipping route, Maersk TP17 / MSC Americas, connects East Asia (China and Singapore) with the eastern coast of the United States and passes through King Abdullah Port. It is one of the fastest shipping routes linking the East and the West through the Red Sea. The second shipping route, Maersk AE15 / MSC Tiger, which is also one of the fastest shipping routes, begins from East Asia (South Korea, China and Singapore) and passes through King Abdullah Port to reach the ports of Turkey and Greece, which are considered the southeastern gateway to Europe. This confirms the transformation of King Abdullah Port — which became the second-largest container port in the Kingdom within five years of operation — into a major hub for global trade through the main shipping route between the East and the West. King Abdullah Port features an advanced infrastructure that places it among the world’s leading ports, in addition to its strategic location on one of the most important global maritime shipping routes, making it a link connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa to each other as well as to other continents. King Abdullah Port was built according to the latest specifications with state-of-the-art equipment, including the world’s deepest 18-m berths, which enable it to serve giant container ships. In addition to its role in ensuring global shipping continuity due to its strategic location and access to a network of highways reaching main cities such as Jeddah, Yanbu, Makkah, and Madinah, the port continues to operate at the local level. T he readiness of operations and services in stations and terminals has been enhanced to receive different goods, particularly food, medication, and medical equipment, to ensure the availability of consumer needs in Saudi Arabia as Kingdom continues to take comprehensive preventative measures to protect its citizens and residents from COVID-19. Run by the Ports Development Company, King Abdullah Port is the first port in the region to be fully owned, developed and operated by the private sector. It has been listed as the world’s fastest-growing container port and one of the 100 largest ports globally after less than four years of operation. Further, 10 of the largest shipping lines work at the Port to offer integrated services to importers and exporters. King Abdullah Port’s development plan is progressing at a steady pace and it is set to consolidate its place among the leading ports worldwide. Its advanced facilities and proximity to a bonded and re-export zone and logistics park provide world-class logistics support for clients and enable them to achieve their desired growth. — SG