RIYADH — Saudi ports handled a total of 631,000 containers during December 2020, marking an increase of 6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. The total cargo tonnage handled at Saudi ports last month hit more than 26 million tons via 1,032 ships, the authority said in its monthly statistical bulletin on Thursday. According to the bulletin, Saudi Arabia’s ports handled more than 173,000 heads, marking an increase of 18 percent. The number of imported vehicles jumped to 89,000, while the number of passengers reached 48,000. The authority seeks to transfer the Saudi ports into the world"s leading ports according to the best international practices; through raising the ports’ digital efficiency and achieving competitive services in operation and handling. It also seeks to contribute to stimulating the logistics industry in line with Saudi Arabia"s ambitious development objectives. — SG