RIYADH: The Saudi Port Authority, also known as Mawani, has announced the launch of a new shipping service connecting the King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam to four global ports, according to a statement. This comes amid goals to bolster direct trade and shipping between Saudi Arabia and countries worldwide. The four global ports are Jebel Ali in the UAE, Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain, Hamad in Qatar, and Mundra in India. Also referred to as Aladin Express, the new shipping service will link the ports every two weeks through a Green Ace vessel — a 17-year-old container ship — with a capacity of 1,740 twenty-foot equivalent units. The launch of the Aladin Express service is part of Mawan’s initiative to upgrade its portfolio of services to importers, exporters, and shipping agents as well as further advance ports and the maritime transport sector in the Kingdom.